Six killed, six injured as bridge collapses in Rajasthan

Six labourers were on Thursday killed and same number injured, while many more were feared trapped, when an under-construction bridge on Chambal river collapsed at Nayagaon in Kota district, a senior official said.

The injured were admitted to two private hospitals, where condition of three labourers was said to be critical, Kota Collector T Ravikant said.

Army was called up to assist civil administration in the rescue operation to locate over 50 labourers, who were feared trapped either inside the debris or swept in the current of the river, the Collector said.

Divers, cranes and welders were pressed into action as a massive rescue operation, he said adding that due to night and cold weather, it was literally difficult to search trapped labourers and conduct smooth rescue operation, he said.

Meanwhile, a team of senior army officials has arrived at the spot to remove debris and metallic bridge, which collapsed at a shore end of the river, he said. The accident occurred around 1715 hours before sunset, when about 100 labourers were working there, the Collector said quoting some eye witnesses.

The reason behind the collapse of the 50-metre bridge being constructed by a foreign company (Hyundai) as a bypass on Kota-Rawatbhata Road is being ascertained, he said.

Dr PL Agarwal, Divisional Commissioner, Kota, said that neither any official of National Highway Authority of India nor any local contractor building the bridge was present at the site.

The sub-contractor fled from the scene immediately after the accident, Agarwal said adding hence it was rather impossible in the night to find out the exact number of labourers working at the site, when the bridge hanging over the river suddenly fell into the river from one side.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has announced an ex-gratia of payment of Rs two lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased, Rs one lakh to the seriously injured and Rs 50,000 to person with minor injuries, an official spokesman said.

Gehlot also asked home minister to rush to Kota with a team of senior officials to supervise rescue operation.