Thiruvananthapuram: Seeking clarity, Public Works Minister P A Mohammed Riyas has returned a probe report on the May 16 collapse of three beams of the under-construction Koolimadu bridge on the River Chaliyar.
The report by the vigilance wing of the Public Works Department suggested that either human error or a jack malfunction might have led to the collapse. While returning the report, the minister demanded the investigators to pinpoint the exact cause for the collapse.
The minister has also instructed to check if enough skilled workers were employed, if human error was behind the incident. He also asked the vigilance wing to look into the safety precautions that were in place.
About 90 per cent of the construction work was complete when three beams of the 309-metre-long and 10-metre-wide bridge, connecting Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, collapsed on May 16 morning.
The incident occurred when precast beams were being erected. A reported snag stalled one of the hydraulic jacks raising the beams, and a beam slanted and fell. Of the three beams, one fell completely and two partially into the river. One person was injured in the accident.
The construction of the Rs 25 crore bridge was contracted to the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS). The construction, which began on March 7, 2019, was to be completed in 24 months.
The probe report by the vigilance deputy chief engineer, submitted on Wednesday, has reportedly pointed at the failures of the firm and the PWD supervisor. The assistant executive engineer and assistant engineer responsible for overseeing the construction were not at the site when the beams collapsed. Only the labourers of ULCCS were present.
It has been alleged that the assistant executive engineer was in Wayanad for a week in connection with the preparatory works of the engineers' arts festival, even as a major work was being carried out at Koolimadu. He told the investigators that he had not handed over the responsibility to another engineer, since he was on casual leave.
The assistant engineer explained that he was at another construction site. The beams were erected under the supervision of ULCCS. The society held the failure of the hydraulic jack responsible for the incident.
