Hamirpur: Six labourers killed as Betwa river bridge slab collapses in storm
Hamirpur, May 29: In a tragic incident early Friday morning, the slab and shuttering of a new bridge under construction over the Betwa River in Hamirpur district collapsed amid a storm and thunderstorm, killing six labourers, while many more are feared trapped under the debris; police, administration officials, and an SDRF team have reached the site to carry out relief and rescue operations.
According to reports, the construction of a new bridge over the Betwa River between Parsani and Kandaur in the Lalpura area of the district has been ongoing for the past three years. All the labourers were sleeping under the under-construction bridge at around 3 am today. Then, during a strong storm and hurricane, the bridge’s slab shuttering collapsed. Several workers were buried under the debris. Police and Bridge Corporation officials arrived at the scene upon receiving information.
The SDRF has been deployed for relief and rescue operations. So far, the bodies of Lokendra (24), son of Radheshyam Nishad, a resident of Chilla Banda, Kuldeep (21), son of Premchand Nishad, a resident of Bhuragadh Banda, Sawant (30), a resident of Swasa Lalpura Hamirpur, Sabhajeet (30), Pushpendra Singh (35), a resident of Swasa Lalpura Hamirpur, and Rajesh Pal (41), a resident of Achhpura Lalpura, have been recovered from the debris. Workers have expressed fears that other workers, including Rajesh, Kallu, and Awadhesh, are also trapped under the debris. Rescue teams have rescued three workers trapped in the bridge pillars.
Lalpura Police Station in-charge Rakesh Saroj stated that relief and rescue operations are being carried out on a war footing following the accident. The recovered bodies are being sent for post-mortem.
It should be noted that in the Hamirpur Sadar Assembly constituency, a new bridge is being built over the Betwa River between Parsani and Kandaur villages in the Lalpura police station area to connect the Rath-Hamirpur State Highway to the Kurara four-lane highway via Parsani and Kandaur. A provision of ₹7912.24 lakh was made for this. Local resident and Rajya Sabha MP Baburam Nishad took a major initiative for this bridge. Its construction will significantly reduce the distance from Kurara to Parsani via the Mirzapur-Jhansi Highway.
One and a half lakh villagers of 26 villages will get big relief. Rajya Sabha MP Baburam Nishad said that with the construction of a new bridge on Betwa river, along with Parsani village, 26 villages including Maurakandar, Bahrauli Danda, Kalaulijar, Ujnedi, Achhpura Wahdina, Swasa Buzurg, Swasa Khurd, Kumhupur, Kuan Dera, Kandaur, Baijemau Islampur, Harehta, Patara, Jakhela, Naithi, Rithhari, Chhani Khurd, Chhani Buzurg, Deviganj will develop rapidly. The MP said that these rural areas are still very backward in development. The government has also given the green signal for building the bridge
