Varanasi flyover collapse : the report stays silent on the causes

| | Lucknow | in Lucknow

The three-member technical committee set up by Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya to probe the causes of the girder collapse of a railway over bridge (ROC) in Varanasi, submitted its report citing several negligence but stopped short of fixing responsibility on any individual. The report is also silent on negligence on part of local administrative officials of the PM’s Parliamentary constituency.   

With Maurya convalescing in a Delhi hospital, the report was submitted to Principal Secretary (PWD) Sanjay Agarwal on Monday night. Further action was likely to be taken after Maurya returns.

Sources confirmed that the technical committee comprising PWD chief engineer JP Gupta, Joint Managing Director, UP Bridge Corporation (UPBC) YK Sharma and Chief Engineer, Allahabad, cited gross negligence on part of officials of Bridge Corporation leading to the incident. Sources claimed that the team found that the UPBC authorities failed to ensure adequate safety measures during construction which led to the incident and cost human lives.  It found that cross-beam connectivity was not made to ensure inter-locking of the main precast beam in February last. It was also said that due to heavy storm and continuous vibration due to plying of traffic under the site, led to collapse of girders which did not have cross-beam connectivity. The girders gradually shifted from rubber bearing on which it was placed and finally collapsed on the fateful day. The Committee also said that the team deployed to cross examine safety measures also did not take any note of the negligence, else the tragedy could have been averted. The Committee felt that security measures were compromised in a bid to complete the project on time due to political compulsions. They also held the Varanasi district administration equally responsible for the mishap but shyed away from mentioning them explicitly it in the report. Earlier, a case was registered against Bridge Corporation officials and employees, working on the site, under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Section 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the IPC following a complaint by Roadways police outpost in-charge. However no one was named in the FIR. Besides the project manager and other officials of UPBC were suspended and the government also shifted then Managing Director of Bridge Corporation, Rajan Mittal.