Bhubaneswar, Sept. 23: A concrete slab weighing around five quintals fell off a flyover on National Highway - 5 at Jayadev Vihar this morning. No one was hurt.

This was the second incident of slabs falling from the overbridge at Jayadev Vihar Square in the last three months.

An eyewitnesses said around 9am, a concrete slab of around 3X5 feet dimension fell off from the 25ft high bridge.

Local people informed the on-duty police constable, Santosh Pradhan, about the incident. “I rushed to the spot and saw the slab fallen on the road blocking vehicular movement. Along with some local people, I removed it from there,” said Pradhan.

Officials of the National Highways Authorities of India (NHAI) rushed to the spot and started repair work. Following the incident, the authorities removed 12 more slabs from the flyover, which were found dangerously placed.

“Movement of heavy vehicles on the bridge has weakened the concrete adhesive between the slabs and the slab-holders. We have removed all these slabs and will put them back after repairing it again,” said an NHAI official.

Following the incident, the authorities stopped vehicular movement on one side of Vidyut Marg that passes under the bridge. Diverting vehicles on a single lane led to traffic chaos on the stretch for around two hours.

Assistant commissioner of police, traffic, Bhubaneswar, Binod Das, said after regulating traffic movement at night, the repair work would be done. “We will manage the vehicular movement on the bridge and under it after midnight,” said Das.

Anand, a local youth, said normally people wait under the bridge for vehicles. “Luckily, there was none today as it was Sunday. Had it been in the afternoon or evening, it would have definitely harmed someone,” said the youth.