A river that modified course, a undertaking deserted halfway, and a story of negligence and official apathy – a number of things performed an element within the dying of three males, whose automobile veered off a half-finished bridge in Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun on Sunday morning.
As outrage over the deaths grows, the state’s Public Works Division, in its preliminary inquiry, claims to have discovered negligence on the a part of 5 engineers.
The victims have been on their strategy to Bareilly to attend a marriage perform and have been utilizing Google Maps when the incident came about, their households say. The unfinished bridge spans the Ramganga river, connecting Dataganj in Budaun to Faridpur in Bareilly.
The district administration has registered an FIR towards 4 engineers from the PWD’s Budaun unit, charging them with culpable murder not amounting to homicide. No arrest has been made up to now. The accused embody junior engineers Mohammad Arif and Abhishek Kumar, in addition to Extra Engineers Ajay Gangwar and Maharaj Singh.
Govt engineer Naresh Kumar has additionally been held accountable within the PWD’s preliminary enquiry, although his title doesn’t determine within the FIR.
The preliminary inquiry revealed that correct barricades or signboards weren’t put in to alert commuters concerning the unfinished bridge. Moreover, a wall that had been constructed to dam entry, however later broken by miscreants, was by no means reconstructed, permitting autos to method the unfinished construction, the preliminary inquiry discovered. “Naresh Kumar, who’s the pinnacle of the unit, can be among the many 5 engineers recognized. Within the inspection report despatched to the headquarters in Lucknow, I advisable departmental motion towards them,” stated PWD chief engineer Ajay Kumar.
The development of the bridge started in 2018-19. Initially, the UP State Bridge Company and the PWD collectively undertook the undertaking, with the PWD accountable for developing the method street. In 2021, after finishing its portion, the Bridge Company handed over the bridge to the PWD to wrap issues up.
Officers declare that the method street on the Faridpur aspect was underneath development when the Ramganga river modified its course. Round 14 months in the past, the under-construction part on the Faridpur aspect was washed away in a flood, leaving the bridge incomplete, stated an official of PWD. Chief engineer Kumar stated barricades have now been put in, and defined that for the reason that river’s course has shifted, they’ve requested {that a} mannequin examine of the bridge be performed. The examine will decide the realm, course, and extent to which the bridge must be prolonged, and what precautions are wanted in order that such a factor doesn’t happen once more. The three who died have been recognized as Amit Kumar (34), Vivek Kumar (32), and his cousin Nitin Kaushal (33).
Amit Kumar, initially from Mainpuri, ran a safety company in Gurgaon. Vivek and Nitin labored with him. Amit lived in Gurgaon together with his spouse and three kids, whereas the households of Vivek and Nitin resided in Farrukhabad.
Amit’s youthful brother, Sunil Kumar, stated, “After graduating, Amit moved to Gurgaon and began working there. Later, he opened a safety company and received married. His dying is tragic, and up to now, no authorities officers have come to satisfy us.” Sunil stated Amit had returned dwelling together with his household round Diwali and stayed for 15 days. Vivek and Nitin’s households lived in the identical locality.
Nitin’s youthful brother Gulshan Kumar stated, “The three have been on their strategy to a marriage perform in Bareilly when the incident came about. We’re shocked at how careless a authorities company could be. Nobody bothered to place up a signboard or any barrier to point that this street was unsafe. Nitin is survived by his spouse and a month-old son.” He stated Nitin had been working in Gurgaon for the previous 9 years.
Vivek Kumar is survived by his spouse and two kids. “He had been residing in Gurgaon for over a decade. On Sunday, Vivek was going to attend his cousin’s marriage ceremony in Bareilly. On Sunday night, he known as his cousin Govind that he had reached Dataganj, and would use Google Maps to achieve Faridpur in one other 15-20 minutes. The accident came about when he received on the bridge from Dataganj,” stated Vivek’s father Harendra Kumar.
