In a major tragedy and the first of its kind in recent memory, four persons including a minor were killed and five others injured when a portion of the 30-year old bridge linking NH 29 (Dimapur-Chumukedima) with Niuland collapsed at around 4.35 p.m. Tuesday.
Police informed that two females and two male (non-Nagas) including a minor were killed after the RCC Steel Girder Bridge collapsed. The deceased have reportedly been identified as Jamshed Ali, Shahid Ali, Rohida and Suriya.
Eyewitness accounts said the bridge, shook after one of the two piles (towards CISHR) began to tilt and causing stress on the truss and the deck.
When the deck gave way, a Tata mobile was in front followed by auto rickshaw and two Tata mobiles and a Maruti Ecco. Due to the collapse, the auto crashed on to the Tata mobile in front and was itself crushed from behind by the other vehicles. All inmates in the auto died as a result of the impact.
Vikheho: Minister of PWD (R&B) Vikheho Swu has accepted full moral responsibility for Tuesday’s bridge collapse tragedy in which four persons died and several others injured.
Talking to Nagaland Post over phone, Swu said the department was going through the process of ascertaining the causes of the tragedy and would come out with facts.
In a statement, Vikheho also apologized to the public for the “unpleasant incident”. The minister also said that after he took over the department, he had personally inspected the bridge twice along with the officials of the department to get first hand information on the condition of the bridge. He also said that necessary instructions were issued to the departmental officers for strengthening the bridge.
DC Dimapur Kesonyu Yhome told media persons at the site, that the length of the bridge were 90 meters and constructed by ONGC in the year 1980s then handed over to PWD R&B department. He informed that the bridge was under observation due to its deteriorating condition which led to restriction against plying of heavy vehicles.
According to DC, department of PWD (R&B) issued a work order for dismantling of the bending bridge and construction of a new one to a firm M/s Nagami-tech for Rs.37 crores. He said the contractor had already started initial work to place a sub way but it was washed away due to the volume and current of the water. The completion time of the new bridge was 36 effective months.
It was reported that the bridge was constructed in 1988 by a local firm and was supposed to a guarantee of 75 years.
When contacted, Engineer-in-Chief (PWD), Khupi Natso, said that the department would initiate an inquiry to ascertain the cause/reasons that led to the incident. He said the department will depute officials to the site by Wednesday to carry out the investigation.
Ex-gratia to victims
The state Cabinet on Tuesday night directed the state government to pay ex-gratia to the next of kin of the deceased and also to the injured due to the collapse of the bridge at 4th Mile near Referral Hospital, Dimapur.
Expressing shock and profound grief over the loss of four precious lives and injuries to others, the cabinet during an emergency also directed the government to setup an inquiry to be conducted by the secretary (Law & Justice) into the circumstances leading to the collapse of the bridge and loss of lives and injuries and to recommend suitable measures for prevention of such incidents in future.
Earlier in June 2015, Dimapur district administration had issued a notification to close the RCC Steel Girder Bridge with effect from June 26.
In the notification issued by officiating DC Dimapur, Elizabeth Ngully it was stated that all traffic (light motor vehicles as well as heavy vehicles) were to use the Patkai-New Showba road till an alternate arrangement was made by the concerned department.
A joint verification of the bridge was also carried out by the district administration, commissioner of police, E.E. PWD (R&B) Dimapur on June 25.
During verification, it was found that the bridge, originally designed for Class-B loading single lane constructed in the year 1986, was on the brink of collapse any time, which could result in the loss of lives.
Diphupar Naga Youth Organization (DNYO) & Diphupar Students Union (DNSU) termed the incident as “Criminal act” adding that the bridge had been left unattended for the past six to seven years despite appeals. They asked the government not to play blame game.
They also informed that with the collapse of the bridge, no alternative road has been left for the public as well as for the students living on the other side of the bridge.
DNSYO further appealed the concerned department to look at the matter at the earliest.
It may be pointed out that Nagaland Post had published reports about the rampant extraction of boulders and sand mining on the river bed. It was also suspected that due to rampant mining, the base of the pile had been compromised till the raging currents of river Chathe on Tuesday eventually caused it to tilt fatally.
ACAUT files FIR against R&B minister, others
Taking serious note of the “tragic and civic disaster”, ACAUT said it has filed an FIR against “culpable individuals and organizations– incumbent R&B minister, EE (PWD) dimapur division, R&B department, sand &gravel mafia including contractors, concerned village council authorities for illegally allowing extraction of stones in the riverbeds.”
The complaint was filed at Diphupar police station.
ACAUT media cell further alleged that the tragic loss of lives due collapse of the bridge was because of the sheer negligence and corruption on the part of the PWD (R&B) department, state government and the failure of the district administration to supervise the riverbeds.
It pointed out that the bridge was already declared a “public hazard” for a long time and that the concerned authorities were alerted on numerous occasions about the precarious condition of the bridge. Despite being aware of the condition, ACAUT said the authorities did nothing about it.
The incident is a wakeup call for the department and the state government to take serious note on public safety hazards in order to avoid such tragic and unfortunate incidents in future, it said.
Further, considering the seriousness of the matter the ACAUT has put forth the following demands:
1. The Government to adequately pay compensation to the of victims and their family in this most unfortunate and tragic accident
2. The police to immediately arrest the R&B minister, Executive Engineer (PWD), Dimapur division, the sand and gravel mafia including the contractors, and the concerned village council authorities allowing the extraction of stones in the riverbeds as per a FIR filed on July 11, 2017.
3. The chief minister to immediately sack the R&B minister, Vikheho Swu.
4. To immediately set up a High Powered Independent Inquiry Committee comprising of members of the public to probe the collapse of the bridge.