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.
The accident took place late on Sunday night when Adil, 25, his pregnant wife Asma, 24, Mashkoor, 26, his wife Rukhsar, 27, Rihanna, 38, and Sultana, 35, were returning home in Mirzapur village. The van was completely damaged in the collision.
On the morning of August 24, the Prime Minister will inaugurate Amrita Hospital in Faridabad, Haryana. Thereafter, the Prime Minister will travel to Mohali and dedicate 'Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre' to the nation, in Mullanpur, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar District (Mohali) at around 2:15 p.m.
After day-long exchange of heated arguments between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the saffron camp on BJP's alleged 'offer' to Manish Sisodia, a source in the AAP said that Sisodia has the recording of the 'offer' made by the BJP.
Congress leader and former Punjab Food and Supply Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu on Monday was arrested by a team of the Vigilance Bureau from Ludhiana city in the alleged tender allotment scam. He is the second minister from the previous government who has been arrested by the AAP government on charges of corruption.
The allegations against Sisodia are that liquor businessmen were allegedly given exemption of Rs 30 crore, and the licence holders were allegedly given extension as per their own will.
The Dwarka police have arrested 11 Nigerian nationals, who had been living illegally in national capital's Mohan Garden area of the district. The arrests were carried out jointly by Dwarka police ATS and Anti-Narcotics Cell teams.
