Kolkata police have initiated a probe into the incident of the collapse of an overhead gate during the Kolkata Police Safe Drive Save Life Half Marathon on January 21, police commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal said on Saturday.
The gate, installed across a flank of Red Road, came crashing down during the event and injured additional police commissioner Murlidhar Sharma and a woman, who was clicking pictures of her husband, who had enrolled for the race.
"We have started an investigation into the incident," Goyal said during the closing ceremony of the year's road safety week near the Victoria Memorial.
The gate had collapsed around 8.30am on Sunday, minutes after the 5km race had started.
Many who saw the gate collapse said there was no wind or any other apparent reason that could have triggered the fall.
“The structure was made of steel rods wrapped in flexes. The base appeared to be too light to withstand the load of the structure,” said a senior police officer
On Sunday morning, even as the gate collapsed, the participants were asked to continue with their run.
The week-long drive to increase awareness of road safety across the roads of Kolkata concluded on Saturday when students from 26 schools participated in a rally.
Goyal presided over the function as the city's police chief.
"The four Es — engineering, education, enforcement and emergency response — these are the critical factors as far as reducing road accidents are concerned," the police commissioner said.
"We are trying to do whatever is required for the safety of pedestrians. If road users abide by traffic rules, it will make a big difference."
