Book case against contractor for accident deaths near Indrali road overbridge worksite: Udupi DC

Three people have died in 33 accidents reported in two years on NH 169A between Udupi and Manipal due to delay in completing the road overbridge work

Deputy Commissioner K. Vidyakumari on Thursday directed the Udupi district police to book criminal cases against officials and contractors executing the road overbridge (ROB) work across Mangaluru-Mumbai Railway line on NH-169A at Indrali in Udupi following 33 accidents and three deaths in road accidents in the last two years.

Chairing a review meeting of the ROB work on Malpe-Tirthahalli NH 169A between Udupi and Manipal at Rajatadri, the district office complex in Manipal, Ms. Vidyakumari said many fatal accidents have occurred owing to road congestion and the delay in execution of the work. Officials from the NH division of PWD, the rilways, and contractors concerned are solely responsible for this delay and the police should book criminal cases against them, she said.

She said because of the delayed execution of the project, one person had died and seven were injured in 15 accidents reported in 2023. As many as two people died and 10 were injured in 18 accidents reported so far in 2024, she noted. Negligence and delay on the part of the officials concerned have caused the accidents. I will write to the Union Road Transport Ministry to take suitable action against officials in this regard, Ms. Vidyakumari said.

Superintendent of Police K. Arun cautioned that officials concerned would be arrested and produced before courts for the recent accidents occurred at the stretch. The general public and organisations have been protesting the enormous delay in completing the project while the district administration is answerable to them. The police would not hesitate to book officials of the PWD, railways, and the contractor for their negligence, he said.

November 10 deadline

Ms. Vidyakumari gave a final deadline of November 10 to NH-PWD to complete the ROB work. The process started in 2018-19 and the project was limping because of negligence and lack of coordination among officials, she said. They did not act despite repeated holding of meetings and giving directions.

All the works, including welding of steel welding, positioning of girders, and other works should be taken up simultaneously in coordination between the PWD and the railways, she instructed.

Additional DC G.S. Mamatha Devi, Konkan Railway Corporation senior engineer Gokuldas, NH-PWD assistant executive engineer K.V. Manjunath, and others were present.

Published - October 10, 2024 09:12 pm IST