A lorry loaded with coal crashed into a height barrier on the approach to the Tallah bridge from Chiria More early on Sunday.

Height barriers have been installed on both sides of the north Calcutta bridge — which has lost much of its weight-bearing capacity and is waiting to be pulled down — to prevent trucks, buses and other heavy vehicles from plying on it.

Police said the lorry banged against the height bar, which was 2.85m above the surface, between 1.15am and 1.30am.

The driver’s cabin was mangled on impact and the lorry came to a halt after travelling around 100 metres towards the bridge.

The driver suffered waist injuries and was admitted to the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital..

The damaged height bar at the approach to the Tallah bridge from Chiria More on Sunday. Picture by Gautam Bose

An officer at Tallah police station said cops at a police checkpoint on BT Road had tried to stop the lorry from proceeding towards the Tallah bridge.

“The driver still moved ahead and crashed into the height barrier. The coal was strewn on the road,” said the officer.

Unveiled in 1962, the bridge has strands of steel ducts supporting its underbelly. Engineers said many of the strands had snapped, which means they cannot bear the usual load