One dead, three injured in under-construction Biju Setu bridge collapse

UMERKOTE: A worker was killed and three others injured after an under-construction Biju Setu bridge collapsed near Talapadar village of Nabarangpur district on Sunday. The incident occurred when a slab of the bridge being constructed over Nagi river caved in and fell to the ground.

While Mahendra Malli (47) of Raighar village in Nabarangpur district was killed in the mishap, Prakash Bhoi, Ramesh Bhoi and Santosh Bhoi of Puri district sustained critical injures. Collector Ajit Misra, SP Prahlad Meena and Jharigaon MLA Prakash Majhi rushed to the spot soon after the mishap. 

Misra ordered a departmental inquiry into the incident and asked the executive engineer of Rural Development department to lodge an FIR against the contractor.  The 68.25 mtr long and 8.45 mtr wide bride is being constructed at a cost of Rs 2.41 crore.

Construction work had started in 2018 and was supposed to end in 2019. But, it had been delayed.  Two slabs of the bridge had already been completed and the third slab was being laid when the mishap occured.