Bellary (KTK), May 25 The ancient Hampi Harishankar Gate, leading to the Vijaya Vittala temple complex which houses the renowned musical pillars and stone chariot in Hampi, a world heritage site, has been damaged a second time in just over six months.

The beam, which had fallen in November last, fell again when the carrier of a tourist bus from Andhra Pradesh hit it while passing through the gate yesterday, police said.

Enquiries revealed that the driver who took the bypass to reach the Vijaya Vittala temple, while returning avoided the bypass and tried to pass through the Harishankar Gate. While none of the passengers was injured, they were stranded at the spot as the beam had to be removed from the bus, police said.

On November 19 last year, a beam fell from the ancient structure after being hit by a vehicle.

The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation had said movement of heavy vehicles near the area would affect the monuments at Hampi which was declared a World Heritage Site. It was on UNESCO&aposs insistence, a bypass was constructed and thrown open to traffic to prevent vehicles from plying near Harishankar Gate, police said.

Though the bypass is ready, the Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority is yet to take steps to regulate the movement of vehicular traffic at the site.