A tragic incident unfolded in Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun district when a vehicle carrying three men fell off an unfinished bridge, resulting in their deaths. This calamity has sparked considerable outrage, criticizing the negligence and indifference of officials. A preliminary inquiry by the state’s Public Works Department (PWD) attributes the accident to a lack of proper warnings; essential barricades or signboards were absent, and a wall intended to deter access was never rebuilt after being damaged.
The victims, Amit Kumar (34), Vivek Kumar (32), and Nitin Kaushal (33), were navigating via Google Maps to a wedding in Bareilly when the accident occurred. The incomplete bridge over the Ramganga River connects Dataganj to Faridpur. An FIR has been filed against four PWD engineers from Budaun, charging them with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, though no arrests have been made yet. Engineers Mohammad Arif, Abhishek Kumar, Ajay Gangwar, and Maharaj Singh, along with Executive Engineer Naresh Kumar, have been held accountable for the oversight.
The bridge project’s construction commenced in 2018-19, led by the UP State Bridge Corporation and the PWD. The unfinished portion resulted from the Ramganga river changing its course and flooding the approach road under construction. The PWD has since installed barricades and commissioned a model study to determine the necessary extensions and precautions for the bridge. The deceased men’s families are left grieving and criticizing the government’s failure to provide adequate safety measures or to offer condolences or support.
The incident underscores a severe breakdown in governmental responsibility, with calls for accountability and preventive measures to avert similar tragedies in the future.
Original Story https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/up-bridge-deaths-several-red-flags-but-not-on-the-road-that-mattered-9694101/
Category : Cities,Lucknow
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Publish Date: 2024-11-28 01:07:00
