The expert team deputed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Jammu has stated that prima facie, the mishap during construction of the elevated corridor under package 15 of the Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway at village Jakh in Samba on August 25, appears to have occurred due to a technical snag during the launching operation.
A day after the mishap, the NHAI expert team on Wednesday (August 26) conducted a detailed technical examination of the incident.
As part of the examination, three experts with extensive experience in the field were called to the site. The expert team, as per an official statement of NHAI, inspected all aspects of the techno-mechanical failure involving the highly sophisticated launching gantry and examined the relevant design details and sequence of operations. “Prima facie, the incident appeared to have occurred due to a technical snag during the launching operation,” the statement added.
“A detailed examination is continuing to establish the precise cause of the incident and to determine the necessary corrective and preventive measures,” NHAI said, adding that the victim’s family was suitably compensated and the company also provided employment to the Next of Kin.
“While such assistance cannot compensate for the loss, it has been extended in solidarity with and support for the affected family. NHAI remains firmly committed to ensuring the highest standards of safety during construction activities as well as for highway users. All necessary measures will continue to be undertaken to uphold safety standards across the project,” NHAI said. On August 25, two labourers were killed and one was critically injured in two separate mishaps involving under-construction flyover and Tawi bridge, as part of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway in Samba and Jammu districts.
In the first incident, the mishap occurred during the installation of a span at an under-construction flyover near Jakh Morh, Vijaypur in Samba district.
During the installation work, the span collapsed and fell down. In the incident, one labourer identified as Gautam Sao, 25, son of Paltan Sao, resident of Ward number 10, Godah, Bihar, died on the spot.
Another labourer namely Bisht Sao, son of Naresh Sao, resident of Bihar, sustained critical injuries.
In the second incident on the same day, one labourer died when a part of fresh concrete slab of the under-construction Tawi bridge, also a part of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, at Sidhra in Jammu outskirts, fell while he was engaged in construction work.
The deceased was identified as the labourer Budhi Singh, 45, a resident of Ramban.
