Majerhat Bridge Collapse: Police, PWD Warned of Risks

<KOLKATA>

September 6, 2018

Both the Police in Kolkata and Public Works Department reportedly flagged the poor conditions on Majerhat bridge months before it collapsed on Tuesday, trapping dozens of people during rush hour in the northeast Indian city.

A 30-metre span of the highway bridge fell on a busy roadway at approximately 4:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday, trapping several vehicles underneath. A bus and five other vehicles fell with the section of concrete, the Associated Press reported.

Meanwhile, another body has been recovered from the site of Kolkata’s Majerhat bridge collapse on Thursday, taking the death toll to three.

SS Khatri, Deputy Commandant, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) informed that the search and rescue operations have ended after two unaccounted for individuals were found dead. Speaking to ANI, he said, “The operation has ended now. We have recovered two more bodies from the site of the bridge collapse. 5 teams of NDRF teams were working at the site since the evening of September 4 till today morning.”

A section of a bridge in South Kolkata’s Majerhat came crashing down on Tuesday following which the state government, along with the NDRF, launched a rescue operation on war-footing

Yesterday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh for the families of those killed in the incident.

She had also assured that her government would take necessary steps and look into the records of the bridges which need maintenance.

Speaking on the mishap, Banerjee had stated that the locals living in the area had alleged that they felt earthquake-like vibrations, which were on account of the metro railway piling work. However, she did not exactly say that the bridge collapsed due to the metro work.

West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi had earlier said that Public Works Department (PWD) and railway administration should be held responsible for the incident.

The Alipur police station on Wednesday registered a suo motu case against unknown persons in connection with the incident.

Deputy Commissioner (south) Meeraj Khalid had said the case was registered under Sections 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (causing the death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act), 427 (causing damage to property) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

©The Global Calcuttan
All Rights Reserved

Visitors