Collector orders probe into repeated mishaps
The State Government on Thursday suspended two engineers and ordered an inquiry by the Works department Engineer-in-Chief (EIC) into the collapse of the under-construction Mahanadi bridge that occurred on Wednesday near Jatimundia in Cuttack district. The bridge was to link Banki with Subarnapur.
“A team led by the Engineer-in-Chief Sukadev Meher will conduct an inquiry into the incident. Appropriate action will be taken against the officials and the construction company if any dereliction of duty is established during the inquiry,” said Works Secretary Nalini Kanta Pradhan.
Pradhan warned that the contractor would also be blacklisted if found guilty.
He said Sub-Divisional Engineer Paradipta Bal and Junior Engineer Ramesh Sahu, who were in-charge of the bridge work, have been placed under suspension.
It may be noted that a span of the bridge had also caved in last year. The bridge, which was scheduled to be completed in June this year at an estimated cost of Rs 62.59 crore, is still being constructed by the Rajalaxmi Construction company.
Initially, the construction of the 2,070-metre-long bridge was started with an estimated cost of Rs 54.70 crore in January 2008 by Rajalaxmi Construction and was targeted to be completed in three years. However, the project cost was increased to Rs 62.49 crore later.
Twenty labourers, including an engineer, were injured after a portion of the bridge caved in Wednesday night. Two of the injured are still undergoing treatment at the SCB Medical College Hospital under critical conditions.
Meanwhile, the Cuttack district Collector on Thursday directed the Banki Sub-Collector to submit a report within two days detailing about the bridge collapse.
At least five spans and four pillars of the bridge caved at around 8.30 pm when around 30 labourers were working.
Poor quality of work and poor monitoring of it by engineers are said to be the causes of repeated mishaps of the under-construction bridge, said locals, fearing that the bridge, when finally thrown open to public, would turn out to be a deathtrap.