CHENNAI: A contract staff working under the Corporation’s smart city project was allegedly electrocuted while operating a drilling machine. He was said to be laying the pedestrian pavement near YMCA bus-stop at Royapettah on Monday night. Pounraj, 28, a native of Tiruvannamalai, was working with four other men at the YMCA bus stop.
“He was drilling the roads around 12.30 am as the other workers were laying the concrete slabs for the pavement. While doing so, the machine came in contact with a live underground cable and sent an electric shock,” said a police officer investigating the case. The other workers immediately rushed him to the government hospital nearby, where the doctors declared him brought dead. After an autopsy, his body was handed over to his mother on Tuesday afternoon.
The Anna Salai police, who have registered the case, have detained site supervisor Pandian and are conducting inquiries with him. During investigation, it was found that the site supervisor had not followed the safety norms and proper permission was not obtained.
“Normally, the site supervisor has to inform the sub-division in the EB and pay a fee for them to nominate two staff who will supervise the site. When the work starts, power will be shut down and once the work is completed, the staff will issue a certificate saying the work is completed.
On Monday, no such norms were followed in the stretch where the relaying work was in progress. Normally, such work is carried out during the night to avoid traffic congestion,” added the investigation officer.
Pounraj, the sole breadwinner of his family, came to the city a few days ago and was working as a contract labourer. He is survived by his mother.
A Corporation official said Pounraj was employed under a sub-contractor and working under the pedestrian project of the smart city. “We will conduct inquiries and further action will be taken,” added the official.