Incomplete bridge crashes on Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi corridor
Darpan News Desk IANS, 09 May, 2023 10:44 AM
Nashik, May 9 (IANS) A portion of an under-construction bridge coming up on the Mumbai-Nagpur Super Expressway in the Ghoti area of Nashik area has crashed, officials said here on Tuesday.
According to a police official, the bridge, which will connect Gangadwadi and Belgaon-Tarhale in the Igatpuri taluka, was being constructed with cranes when it suddenly collapsed around 7.30 p.m on Monday.
There are no casualties in the incident, the work has been stopped, the causes are being checked and the crash site vicinity has been cordoned off, said the official of Ghoti Police Station, declining to be quoted.
The bridge is a link in one of the most difficult terrains on the 701-km long 'Hindu HridaySamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg' Phase I, that was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 11, 2022.
The work on the remaining around 181-km long Nashik-Mumbai section is currently being implemented at a fast pace, and the bridge crash is likely to delay the completion of the Rs 55,000-crore mega-project.
The bridge accident has raised questions on the construction quality, processes and materials as well as proper site supervision especially since the HHSBTMSM will reduce the travel time between Mumbai-Nagpur from the current 16 hours to barely 8 hours.
However, the Samruddhi Expressway has already earned the sobriquet of a 'killer highway' with over 95 deaths and more than 300 accidents on the Nagpur-Nashik stretch currently functioning. (IANS - May 4, 2023).
An NGO, Council for Protection of Rights (CPR) Chairman barrister Vinod Tiwari has written to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and others pointing out at the complete lack of 'halts' or other basic amenities and facilities that are leading to accident on the expressway.
He has demanded that the HHSBTMSM be closed for all traffic till all the facilities like drinking water, baths-toilets for men and women, food courts, petrol stations, mini shopping plazas, are provided as promised by the government and travel on it becomes absolutely safe and accident-free for people.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday congratulated the farmers for their historic victory whereby they had not only forced the BJP-led Central government to repeal the three agricultural laws, but had also paved the way for making the minimum support price (MSP) a legal right.
Lieutenant Colonel Harjinder Singh who died in the tragic helicopter crash along with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat and others, had been married to Prafulla from Karnataka. Prafulla is the native of Salmaru village near Karkala town in Udupi district. A pall of gloom descended on the family after the news of the tragedy broke out.
The force said that positive identification of only three mortal remains -- Gen Rawat, Madhulika Rawat and Brig L.S. Lidder -- has been possible as of now, and their mortal remains will be released to the next of kin for final rites as desired by the respective families.
Almost 15 months after the farmers' agitation began against the (now scrapped) farm laws and other issues, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer unions that led the protest, said on Thursday that it has suspended the agaitation after receiving positive assurances from the government on their demands, adding that the borders of Delhi will be cleared by Saturday.
India's civil aviation regulator, the DGCA, on Thursday extended the ban on scheduled international commercial flights till January 31.Earlier, India had announced plans to allow resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services from December 15 with certain conditions.
