Bengaluru, (Samajweekly) The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has announced Rs 20 lakh as compensation to the family of the mother-son who lost their lives due to the collapse of as iron pillar at a Metro work site in Bengaluru.
The BMRCL has issued notices to the contractor and the engineers. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has been requested to investigate and give a report. An internal technical team will also probe the matter, the official statement said on Tuesday.
“Today at 10.30 a.m., while the reinforcement work at Pier 218 which was being carried out with staging and guy wire supports, one of the guy wires gave away resulting in swaying and falling across the K R Puram Hebbal main carriage way,” the statement said.
The BMRCL is deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident and stands with the distressed family, the corporation stated.
The negligence of the BMRCL was flayed by the family of the deceased and the public.
The incident happened when the deceased were passing through the site of the Metro construction. The deceased were 25-year-old Tejaswini and her two-and-a half-year old son Vihan. They were travelling on a bike with her husband and another child.
The family of the victims has lodged a complaint against the contractor and the Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC). DCP (East) Bheemashankar Guled has confirmed that the police have received the complaint. The experts will give a report on the negligence, he said.
Additional Commissioner Chandrashekar stated that it has been found that there was a problem with the iron pillar and prima facie negligence at the work site. The experts team will inspect and verify, he said.
According to the police, Lohit Kumar, a civil engineer, was dropping his wife Tejaswini to her work place in the premises of the Manyata Tech Park and the two sons to a child care centre. Lohit Kumar and the other son escaped miraculously with only minor injuries.
Tejaswini and Vihan had suffered major head injuries and succumbed due to severe bleeding. Tejaswini hailed from Dharwad.
The grandfather of the deceased child, stated that he got a call from Lohit but could not reach the spot as the place was blocked. Later, when he went to the hospital, he got to know about the death of one of the grandsons and his daughter-in-law.
“I am a retired government servant. The construction work is taken up in an unscientific manner. At least 30 meter distance should have been kept. The BMRCL has not taken any safety measures. The vehicles are allowed to move at a distance of five to ten feet at the work sites. What if the iron pillar had fallen on a bus, it would have resulted in the loss of lives of many,” he said. This is a tragic day, not able to say anything, he added.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai stated that he would get all information regarding the construction work by the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited. The police have taken up further investigation.
