Labourer crushed to death after span segment slips during bridge construction in JK’s Samba

JAMMU: A labourer from Bihar was crushed to death when a span segment slipped during bridge construction work along Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, officials said.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Jammu, has termed the incident as "unfortunate" and said an expert team is being deputed to the site to examine the incident and review the launching process so that appropriate corrective measures can be implemented and the recurrence of such an incident is prevented.

Earlier, officials said a pier of a bridge under construction collapsed at Jakh Morh in the Vijaypur area of Samba around 10.10 am when workers were engaged in laying the structure, crushing 25-year-old labourer from Bihar, Gotam Sahu, to death, they said.

Another labourer sustained head injuries in the accident and was evacuated to a hospital, the officials said.

However, the NHAI, Jammu said the unfortunate incident occurred at the construction site of Package-15 of the Delhi–Amritsar–Katra (DAK) Expressway.

"At the Rayamore elevated highway project, an elevated structure comprising 14 spans, with each span consisting of 15 segments, is under construction. Of the 14 spans, 10 spans have been successfully launched. The launching work on the 11th span is currently in progress.

"During the lifting of the end portion of one of the segments, the segment slipped from the launching machine and fell to the ground. Regrettably, one worker lost his life in the untoward incident," NHAI said in a late night statement.

NHAI expresses its deepest condolences to the bereaved family and said the next of kin of the deceased worker shall be appropriately compensated in accordance with the applicable norms.

The bridge segments already launched in the 11th span remain intact, and all previously launched elevated bridge spans are also intact, the NHAI said, terming as incorrect reports claiming collapse of the bridge.

"There has been no structural failure of the bridge. NHAI remains firmly committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety in the execution of the project.

"An Expert Team is being deputed to the site to examine the incident and review the launching process so that appropriate corrective measures can be implemented and the recurrence of such an incident is prevented," the statement said.

NHAI also reiterated its commitment to the safe, quality-driven and timely execution of the Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway and said it will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure the highest standards of construction and worker safety.

In a separate incident in Jammu, labourer Budhi Singh (45), a resident of Ramban, was critically injured after falling from a height at the under-construction Tawi bridge in the Sidhra area along the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway this afternoon.

Singh was rushed to Government Medical College (GMC) hospital, where he was declared brought dead, the officials said.