Panda Infra back in dock

BHUBANESWAR: Labourers and passersby had a narrow escape after an iron plate of the under construction over bridge under Jatni police limits collapsed on Thursday. The construction work was being carried out by Panda Infraprojects Private Limited. According to police, a 5x5 feet iron plate along with construction materials collapsed from the under construction over-bridge near Kudiary Bazar in Jatni. Earlier, Jatni Traders’ Association had alleged poor quality of work being carried out by the agency in construction of the bridge.

In May, the State Government had ordered a Vigilance probe into alleged irregularities in the under-construction over-bridge in Jatni. The traders association had alleged that the piling of the over-bridge should be 60 feet deep, but the firm used 20 feet iron rods. “No one was injured in the incident and no case has been registered in this regard,” Jatni Police said. A court in June had granted bail to managing director of Panda Infraprojects Private Ltd Pratap Kishore Panda who was arrested by Commissionerate Police on May 4 after a worker was crushed under a huge frame of iron bars that crumbled at Bomikhal flyover, here on May 3. The State Government had disengaged Panda Infra from the construction of Bomikhal flyover after the incident.