Alappuzha: A driver was crushed to death after girders of the Aroor–Thuravoor elevated highway fell onto the pickup van he was driving at Eramalloor around 2.30 am on Thursday.

The deceased is Rajesh (48), a native of Pallippad. His body, which was trapped inside the mangled vehicle, was recovered after four hours. He was transporting eggs from Ernakulam to Pathanamthitta. The vehicle was completely crushed under the girders. 

PWD Minister PA Mohamed Riyas has ordered a probe into the accident. He has directed the PWD secretary to conduct an investigation and submit a report today itself, after consulting the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

A crane was brought to the spot to lift the remains of the massive girders as part of the efforts to recover the body from the vehicle. Rajesh's body was shifted to Ernakulam District General Hospital. 

Following the accident, police imposed traffic curbs on the Aroor–Thuravoor road. Around 7 am, traffic through the stretch was partially restored. The service road on the eastern side of the accident site has been reopened to traffic. Vehicles from Ernakulam to Cherthala are being diverted from Aroor junction via Poochakal. Similarly, vehicles from Cherthala towards Ernakulam are diverted from the X-ray junction through Poochakal to the Aroor junction.

Two girders, each weighing around 80 tonnes, collapsed during construction. While new girders were being positioned, two previously installed ones reportedly slipped and came crashing down.

Preliminary reports suggest that the girders slipped from the jack and fell to the ground. About 70 per cent of the 12.75-km elevated highway project has been completed so far.

Residents alleged that lapses by the authorities led to the accident. According to them, the road should have been closed to traffic due to the work. “No action was taken to close the road while installing the huge girders. If the road had been closed, this accident could have been avoided,” a local resident told Manorama News.

Residents said workers, including crane operators, fled the spot soon after the incident, delaying the rescue operation.

"If they had stayed and helped lift the collapsed girder using the crane, the man’s life might have been saved. He was seen waving his hand for help when we reached the spot," another one said.

"A transport bus and a lorry were behind the pickup vehicle. The casualty would have been worse if the girder had fallen on the bus," another resident said.

Addressing the media at the spot, Aroor MLA Daleema Jojo said that traffic had not been stopped while the girders were being installed. Expressing shock over the driver’s death, the MLA added that vehicles were allowed to pass close to the construction site as it is a major stretch of National Highway 66.

Over 40 people have reportedly died in accidents on the service roads of NH 66, where construction of the elevated highway is currently underway. 

In August, a beam of the same flyover collapsed during construction. As no casualties were reported, the authorities continued the work without imposing any traffic curbs.

The Aroor-Thuravoor elevated highway, constructed on National Highway 66, will be the longest flyover in the country.