VARANASI: A major tragedy averted on Friday morning when a concrete shuttering plate of an under construction flyover on Varanasi-Babatpur Road came down in Tarna locality. No casualty was reported, as the route was already blocked for traffic movement. The district magistrate ordered for a magisterial probe into the matter.
According to reports, the incident occurred around 4am near Chamao gate in Tarna market. Under four-lane road widening project of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) the construction of a flyover is in progress.
The project manager of NHAI Pankaj Singh said that due to loosening of nut a 12-meter long shuttering plate hanged in the air. The officials and workers present at the site safely brought down the hanging plate immediately. He claimed that the safety measures are being followed strictly in construction of the flyover, and the route had already been diverted. No casualty or mishap occurred at the construction site, he added.
Taking note of it the DM Yogeshwar Ram Mishra ordered a magisterial investigation and appointed ADM (city) Virendra Pandey investigating officer. He was asked to submit his report at the earliest.
Earlier, 15 persons were killed and several other were injured when two beams of another under construction Chowkaghat-Lahartara flyover collapsed near Cantonment railway station on May 15. The flyover is being constructed by UP Bridge Corporation. The work was stopped and traffic was diverted after the incident. The DM also inspected the site on Thursday and asked the UPBC general manager to begin the work at the earliest after ensuring required safety norms.
Several railing plates of an under-construction flyover fell on Babatpur road on Friday. (Photo: ANI)