The Sigra police station area of Varanasi Cantt railway station is often crowded. Since one gets auto to go from here to Mughalsarai, so is the crowd. There was a blast here at about six o’clock on Tuesday evening. We saw that a large part of the Chaukaghat flyover being built near Lahartara bridge has fallen. The collapse of the bridge caused panic.
Many vehicles were buried in this debris. Workers engaged in flyover construction were also caught in it. Shops were closed and people on the road ran towards the flyover. We saw a roadways bus which was buried under the bridge, its driver was trapped. His leg was buried from the seat. Blood was dripping from the right side of this bus flying uncontrollably. We found two people screaming. They were badly trapped. The locals tried hard to get them out, but they could not be removed due to the load of the bridge.
Sigra police station was immediately informed of the accident. Families of many affected families were fleeing to them. Sigra police station, expressing their inability to help, said that they have informed the control room and DM. “The police officer told us that we will try to do as much as possible. We do not have any cranes available on the spot, nor are there as many people,” said 20-year-old Debashish. Debashish was one of the first people who first arrived for help after the accident. Debashish, a student of L-One coaching, came to pick up an auto for Mughalsarai. His friend Sonal (20) was coming to Cantt station by auto. He died tragically in this accident.
Like Debashish, there are many other people who feel that if the help reached in time, many lives could have been saved. About an hour after the incident, the police came and from 7:15 pm the administration and the NDRF team started an effort to evacuate the people. By this time, there were only two ambulances at the scene.
The injured were taken to BHU Trauma Center and Railway Divisional Hospital. Director General of Police OP Singh reached the spot at around 8 am. He only told the media, “Let the administration do its work. This bridge has collapsed due to the pillar being installed during shuttering. We are doing everything possible on our behalf.” The Director General of Police did not respond to the question of who ordered the movement of vehicles under the bridge under construction.
Role of local people
The administration should be thankful to the readiness of the local people. Soon after the fall of the flyover, people were engaged in all possible help from their side. In the first one hour, some corpses were taken out from the rubble or inside the debris by cutting the carts. Not only was he removed, but he was also admitted to the Mandal Hospital. Local people were also controlling the traffic.
It is known that the work of the extension of Chaukghat Bridge was going on for more than six months. The under construction part of the bridge has fallen, which is the part between Varanasi Cantt and Lahartara. Banaras – Allahabad, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra etc. connect with the service lane of this flyover. When this accident happened, there was a lot of traffic which was moving at a slow pace.
The entire area was jammed due to disrupted traffic between Cantt and Lhatara. Due to this, there were many problems in rescue and relief. The police also had to lightly baton charge around 9 am to remove the crowd.
BHU Trauma Center Hall
There was movement of people in the premises of the trauma center at eleven o’clock. Three corpses were found in the premises, two of which were of those killed in the flyover accident. Santosh Kumar alias Bittu, 37, was passing his bike under the bridge. He died in an accident.
Santosh’s seven-year-old son is crying over his father’s dead body. It is a very compassionate scene. Santosh’s elder brother Mantu told us that Santosh was going to get his nephew’s birthday cake. We received the incident at seven o’clock. We got a call from a person named Madhuresh that Santosh Pul has been injured in the accident.
A large number of students of BHU arrived here for help. Many students have given blood and are appealing to people across the city to give blood. Ankesh, a student of BHU Joint Action Committee, said, “We will stay here overnight, whoever needs blood, we will provide it.” We are in touch with the officials of the blood bank. ”
Administration and government’s lip smacking
Senior officer of Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation KR Sudan told us on phone that “the construction of Chowkaghat bridge was to be completed by October. The part of the bridge that had fallen was being constructed for the last two months. We also inspected it continuously. Had been. But if an accident happens, it will be investigated. ”
Late night, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has visited the spot and Kabir Chaura Hospital. Four officers of Setu Nigam have been suspended. These include Chief Project Manager HC Tiwari, Project Manager KR Sudan, Assistant Engineer Rajesh Singh and Under Engineer Lalchand.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the dead by mentioning this incident on the occasion of celebration of success to the Bajpas found in the Karnataka elections yesterday. Apart from this, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has also expressed regret over the incident and asked his party workers to cooperate in the rescue work.
A senior doctor at BHU’s Sir Sunderlal Hospital told us on condition of anonymity, “There are about 15-18 cases which are critical.” It could also mean that the figure of the dead may still increase. .
According to the sources of the Bridge Corporation, it is being told that the local people had written a letter to the Corporation and the Chief Minister in the past regarding the quality of the bridge. At the same time, people also questioned the neglect of rules in bridge construction. “Three laborers have died in the last two months in the construction of this bridge,” the source said.
The Chief Minister has announced to give Rs 5 lakh to the relatives of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to the seriously injured. In addition, the government has also constituted an inquiry committee, which has been ordered to submit the investigation report in the next 48 hours. However, local people hope that their MP, Prime Minister Modi will soon come to Benaras. Because when Modi comes here, the city becomes chaotic.
The North government may be able to revive the case by suspending and compensating the authorities, but there is anger among the locals about the cocktail of contractors and politics. They are narrating stories of corruption from the tender process till the bridge is erected. “What BJP, does SP-all tenders to their own people.” All this goes wrong, ”said Murad Baba, local shopkeeper at Cantt station.