Flyover collapses in Kolkata, kills 24

Mangalore Today News Network

Kolkata: April 1, 2016, DHNS: At least 24 people were killed and more than 85 injured when a portion of the under-construction flyover, which was welded in place on Wednesday night, over a busy intersection here collapsed on Thursday.

Officials fear the death toll may go up as several people and vehicles are still trapped under the debris on the congested Chitpore-Vivekananda Road intersection.

Though the police, fire brigade and the state disaster management teams reached the spot within 30 minutes, locals said they could not do much to improve the situation.

While initial rescue attempts revealed a lack of preparedness on part of the administration, the state government then sought help from the Indian Army.

The army’s disaster management units then joined the rescue operation, along with teams from the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF).

Army officers involved in the operation blamed state agencies for failing to salvage the situation.

The army pressed into service 10 ambulances to ferry the injured to nearby hospitals, where the scene was one of chaos.

Besides a severe shortage of blood, doctors seemed ill-equipped to handle the crisis, said a victim’s relative.

The army had to then send a team of surgeons and nurses, as military engineers worked till late in the evening to rescue people.

An  army officer told DH that the administration failed to contain the crowd that gathered after the mishap, most of whom were busy taking photos and videos on their mobile phones. “The police should have immediately cordoned off the area and all approach roads. The roads meeting at the crossing is narrow. This proved challenging for us to even move around or place cranes and other specialist equipment (sic),” the army officer said.

Rescue operations came to a halt for sometime after sunset as authorities did not arrange for adequate lighting, the officer said, adding that General Officer Commanding (Bengal Area) Lt Gen Rajeev Tewary, was supervising the operations.

“We have information that a mini-bus is trapped underneath but there is no way of knowing how many passengers were on board.  The death toll is likely to go up,” he admitted.

The state government set up emergency helpline numbers and declared compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 3 lakh to those with serious injuries, and Rs 2 lakh to those with minor injuries.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who cut short her campaign tour of Jungle Mahal, said: “...The guilty will not be spared. We’ll take necessary action. Right now rescue is our priority.”

Chief Secretary Basudeb Banerjee told reporters, “The government will bear all costs for treatment of the injured.”

Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar said that an FIR has been filed against the contactor, Hyderabad-based infrastructure company IVRCL, as K P Rao from the construction firm called it an “act of God”.
DH News Service

Army, NDRF deployed for rescue ops
 Several personnel from the Indian Army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed for rescue operations in Kolkata, reports DHNS from New Delhi.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with him and that he has apprised him of the rescue operations being carried out by NDRF. Seven Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams of NDRF comprising trained responders equipped with Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR) as well as Medical First Responder (MFR) equipment have been rushed to the site, an official statement said.