K. Mareeswaran (30), a worker, was killed when a concrete mixing vehicle slipped into a gorge while taking up the Vaigai South Bund Road widening work near Arapalayam late on Friday evening.
The police said that Mareeswaran of Aruppukottai was pouring the concrete mixture from the rear of the vehicle as it was moving at around 6 p.m.
However, the loose soil gave in and the vehicle fell down into the gorge. Mareeswaran was crushed by the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle, K. Thalamuthu (26) of Karseri, was rescued.
The road widening work is undertaken by National Highways under the Smart City Project.
Last year, two workers involved in the road widening work were crushed to death when a similar heavy vehicle ran over them while they were sleeping on the riverbed.