7 hurt in bridge collapse at Gaokhal
Source: The Sangai Express

Jiribam, August 22 2018: At least seven workers were injured, two seriously, after a 160 feet under construction bailey bridge collapsed today at about 8.05 am at Gaokhal under Borobekra PS.

The bridge is located 26 kilometres from Jiribam PS along Jiri Tipaimuk Road (JT road).

Five of the injured were rushed to Borobekra Hospital for treatment while two other seriously injured individuals were rushed to Silchar Medical Hospital.

The Bailey bridge which connects Gaokhal and Jattrapur villages is reportedly being built under the PMGSY scheme (at a maintenance cost of Rs 4 lakh) by a special contractor from Imphal.

The construction of the bridge began on November 10, 2014.The five injured people have been identified as Rajen Thongam (33) s/o Kumar, Manaoton Laishram (22) s/o Nilo Singh, Thoiba Khoisnam (27) s/o Kulajit Singh, Seram Loken (25) s/o Ningthem (all from Lamtai Khunou, Jiribam), Kh Dono Singh (35) s/o Joybabu of Gaokhal, Jiribam.

On the other hand the two gravely injured individuals have been identified as Naba Meitei alias James (16) s/o Biromohan Meitei of Harinagar, Borobekra and Thangjam Brojen (30) s/o Kumar Singh of Lamtai Khunou.

At the same time, the Rural Engineering Department Manipur State Rural Roads Development Agency has clarified that the 160 feet double decked reinforced Bailey bridge at Borobekra, Jiribam, which collapsed today at around 8 am is under construction and yet to be opened to traffic.

"The unfortunate incident happened during construction of 2nd layer decking of the bridge.

The department shares the anguish and pain of the contractor and the injured labours/persons," said a statement issued by Th Nandakishore Singh, Chief Engineer, RED/MSRRDA.

Speaking to media persons, Borobekra Sub-Division Development Organisation chairman P Jiten Singh alleged that the bailey bridge has long been neglected by the officials of the Department concerned as well as the contractors.

Demanding the authority concerned to take up necessary actions against the officials of the Department concerned as well as the contractor involved, Jiten urged the Government to provide a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the injured people.

On the other hand, he claimed that the doctors and staff of Borobekra Hospital were nowhere to be found when the injured people were brought for treatment and demanded the authority concerned to look into the matter at the earliest.

Jiten added that due to desperation, the injured people had to be treated by the 37 Assam Rifles and the police.

He continued that even though it was reported that MLA Asab Uddin kept an ambulance for Barak circle, but when it was called for the emergency, the ambulance reached the site more than two hours late.

When questioned it was claimed that the ambulance had tyre problems, he said and questioned for whom the ambulance is being utilised if not for those in need.

On the other hand, personnel of 37 Assam Rifles swung into action after hearing the news of the accident.

They rescued the trapped workers one by one and the Assam Rifles medical staff provided much needed first aid to the injured people.

The injured workers were also evacuated in a makeshift ambulance provided by 37 AR .

Comment