CM orders action after probe report indicts officials
LUCKNOW : Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday ordered penal action against seven UP Bridge Corporation officials, including its managing director Rajan Mittal, in connection with the collapse of a section of the Varanasi flyover.
The decision was taken by the CM after a three-member probe panel submitted its report to him late Thursday night.
Apparently pre-empting action against the UP Bridge Corporation MD Mittal, deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya relieved him from the post hours before CM ordered action.
While chief project manager HC Tiwari, project manager KR Sudan, assistant engineer Rajesh Singh & engineer Lal Chand were suspended with immediate effect on the day of the tragedy itself, others against whom action has been ordered on the basis of probe reports findings include former project manager Genda Lal and additional project manager Rajesh Pal.
The probe report has indicted these officials for not getting drawings approved by the competent authority before undertaking work, maintaining proper record and check-list at site of construction material being used and negligence in not taking due care in securely tying connecting beams in between the pillar columns with crossbeam.
He said the PMO was keeping a close watch on all the investigations being carried out into the mishap. “The PMO will not only review the probe report of the central team but also of all other committees,” he added.
Vinay Kumar Gupta, an expert in overbridge construction technology, is leading a team of experts from the Centre and is likely to reach Varanasi on Friday. A team of UP police crime branch on Thursday visited the office of Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation (UPSBC) and sought details about the safety measures taken at the site of under-construction flyover, a portion of which collapsed on May 15. The police had registered a case on Wednesday against 18 UPSBC officials for dereliction of duty. The case was transferred to the crime branch following the instructions of additional director general , Varanasi zone, PV Ramashastri.
Another team of forensic experts from the city unit visited the narrow stretch of the road between Cantonment railway station and the under-construction Lahartara overbridge on Thursday to collect more samples. A team constituted by district magistrate Yogeshwar Ram Mishra is also carrying out probe at the site of mishap.
The team is being led by additional district magistrate (finance) Manoj Kumar Rai which will submit its report to the DM.
On the day of the incident, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had constituted a three-member committee under agriculture production commissioner RP Singh asking it to submit its report within 48 hours.
The team is likely to submit its report at the chief minister’s office.
Yet another team constituted by deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya is also investigating the mishap.
The team comprises chief engineer, PWD (Lucknow), VK Gupta, joint managing director, UP State Bridge Corporation, Lucknow, VK Sharma and chief engineer (PWD), Allahabad, SK Gupta.
Barring the central team, all other teams are already on ground zero and preparing their respective reports.
The official said it had been decided that the construction work of the flyover would continue after security audit. “Investigations will also continue simultaneously,” he added.
He said divisional commissioner, Varanasi, Deepak Agarwal would monitor the construction work of all under-construction overbridges in Varanasi.
ON THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT, CHIEF MINISTER YOGI ADITYANATH HAD CONSTITUTED A THREEMEMBER COMMITTEE UNDER AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION COMMISSIONER RP SINGH ASKING IT TO SUBMIT ITS REPORT WITHIN 48 HOURS