MALKANGIRI: The blame game over Gurupriya bridge mishap has started with the Works Department holding the two agencies implementing and supervising the project responsible for slipping of the slabs and tilting of girders.Preliminary investigation revealed that delay the casting of cross girders connecting the main girders resulted in the incident.
Executive Engineer, Malkangiri (R&B) Division Arun Kumar Sahu said lapses on the part of Kolkata-based Royal Infra Construction, which is executing the Gurupriya bridge project and Architechno Consultants Private Limited that has been assigned to supervise the work by Works Department, led to slipping of three slabs while being anchored on the concrete girders on Tuesday afternoon. The slabs were being anchored on the pre-stressed concrete (PSC) girders between pier 10 and 11 when the mishap took place due to heavy wind pressure.
Though casting of cross girders connecting the main girders was to be done within four days of stressing as per the contract signed between State Government and Royal Infra, the work was not done even after 21 days, Sahu said, adding that Architechno was negligent in supervising the work.
Casting of three PSC girders was done on June 21 and this was followed by stressing on July 1. Sahu said, had the casting of cross girders been completed within four days of stressing, the incident could have been averted. He said he has asked the team leader of supervising agency to start the work.
Team leader of Architechno Chandra Balkrishna admitted to delay in undertaking the work on casting of cross girders due to unavailability of labourers. “The work was about to start,” he said.
Apparently, Works Department had informed the Bhubaneswar-based Executive Engineer (Designs) NC Pal, who is overseeing construction and design of Gurupriya bridge, about the safety of three PSC girders in the absence of cross girders. However, no follow-up action was taken.
Sources said lack of coordination between Royal Infrastructure Construction Limited, Architechno Consultants Private Limited and Works Department officials is delaying the project.