In the aftermath of Varanasi flyover collapse that claimed 18 lives on Tuesday, the state government removed Managing Director of Uttar Pradersh State Bridge Corporation (UPSBC) Rajan Mittal on Thursday and appointed JK Srivastava as his successor.
Sources said that Rajan was removed on the findings of the probing high-level committee headed by Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC) Raj Pratap Singh.
State Deputy CM and PWD minister Keshav Prasad Maurya twitted on Thursday that Rajan Mittal was removed from the post of MD of Bridge Corporation and he would be replaced by JK Srivastava, presently posted as Chief Engineer (Externally-aided projects) in PWD. However, Mittal would continue as MD of Rajkiya Nirman Nigam.
Soon after the mishap, the state government had suspended four officials of UPSBC looking after the project in Varanasi. An FIR was also lodged against these officials in Varanasi.
Not a stranger to controversy, Mittal was again in thee limelight after the flyover collapse in PM’s Parliamentary constituency - Varanasi on Tuesday and left 18 dead and several others injured.
Earlier too, Mittal was removed from the post of MD of UPSBC during the previous Samajwadi Party regime, when a portion of a bridge caved in on Yamuna river in Fatepur district.