Bridge collapse: 4 officials suspended
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 10 2014:
Four officials of State Public Works Department (PWD) including an Executive Engineer have been suspended in connection with the collapse of an under-construction bridge over Iril River at Keirao Litan Makhong in Imphal East on February 5 .
The suspended officials are all from the Bridge Division of PWD, and they have been identified as Executive Engineer (in-charge) L Ingochouba, Assistant Engineer-III N Bimol, Section Officer Md Abdul Khalid and Road Mohorrir S Shantikumar.
A show cause notice has also been sent to special contractor Liyakat Ali asking reasons why he should not be blacklisted for the bridge collapse.
Meanwhile, a three-member committee headed by Principal Secretary (Works) Ram Muivah has been constituted to make a thorough inquiry into the causes leading to the collapse of the under-construction bridge.
Chief Engineer of PWD M Lokendro and Superintending Engineer N Subhas are the members of the committee.
Talking to media persons at his office chamber at Old Secretariat Complex here today, Works Minister Dr Kh Ratankumar said that he along with Principal Secretary (Works) and engineers of PWD inspected the worksite on the following day of the bridge collapse.
A report on the bridge collapse was submitted to him by Additional Chief Engineer-II on February 6.Subsequently, an office memorandum of Works Department mentioning the details of the bridge collapse was issued today, he noted.
Works Minister further said that the construction of Keirao Litan Makhong Bridge began on December 16, 2011 for an estimated cost of Rs.6.44 crores under the funding of Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR).
The bridge is 60 metres long consisting of four spans of 15 metres each.
The construction of three middle piers and two abutments up to cap level including wing walls and retaining walls on both western and eastern sides are completed.
Slabs for two spans on western side have also been completed.
Casting of the collapsed slab started on February 3, but all of a sudden the slab under construction collapsed on February 5, he said.
Ratankumar further stated that the department has not yet released any money to the contractor.
A high-level committee would minutely investigate the factors for the bridge collapse.
The exact cause of the collapse could be ascertained only after the submission of the report, he added.
Work Minister also disclosed that the State Government is planning to reconstruct Sanjenthong at a cost of about Rs.8 crores under NLCPR.