07 February,2013 05:36 PM IST | | Team MiD DAY
Three employees of a company were arrested on Thursday in connection with the collapse of a portion of an under-construction bridge near the international airport in Mumbai in which three people were killed, police said.
The arrested -- Pechi Muttu Subramaniam (27), Subbaya Velu Shravanal (34) and Lakhbir Nirmal Singh (27) -- were supervisors of the site and employed with Larsen and Toubro, which had taken up the construction work of the bridge, they said.
The three were booked under sections 304 (II) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 338 (Causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code sections, they added.
A 35-metre concrete girder, which was part of the Sahar Elevated Road collapsed, around 11.30 pm last night while the workers were carrying out concretisation work. According to fire officials, three bodies were removed and five people have been rescued from the debris and rushed to Holy Spirit and Cooper hospital. According to officials, several people are still trapped under the collapsed structure.
Till the time of going to the press, the fire department were breaking the huge concrete slab with concrete cutters hoping to rescue workers who were feared trapped. In all 5 workers were pulled out and rescue operations were in process till late in the night.
Around eight fire tenders and two ambulances were rushed to the spot to rescue the injured. While the MMRDA, confirmed the accident and an official on condition of anonymity, said, "The portion of the slab which collapsed comes under Mumbai International Airport's (MIAL) jurisdiction. We will inspect it on Thursday."
The site near Sahar airport where the girder collapsed last night. Pic/Satyajit Desai
The construction of the Sahar Elevated Road is jointly done by the MMRDA and MIAL authorities. The work of the corridor was nearing completion when it crashed last night. MIAL official said, "The incident is very unfortunate and we will certainly look into the matter. At present, the rescue operations are underway."
Standing Committee chairman Rahul Shewale visited the site at 1 am. Mayor Sunil Prabhu, who also reached the site, said, "It was the 35-metre girder that collapsed while the crane was lifting it." On the recent mishaps of the monorail and metro projects he said, "I will take up this issue with the state government and ensure that the government audits all the projects that are being carried in the city. It is the responsibility of the government."
(With inputs from Agencies)
