CHENNAI: A 23-year-old construction worker from Jharkhand died of critical head injuries after falling from a height of 50 feet at an elevated corridor of the Chennai Metro Rail near Arcot Road on Friday night. The deceased has been identified as L Soray Ganjhu, who was employed with Kumar Constructions and stayed at the workers’ quarters in Velappanchavadi.
Metro rail sources said the incident occurred when Ganjhu was laying duct sheets for the viaduct deck slab on the Red Line stretch between Koyambedu and Chennai Trade Centre, scheduled to open in June. He was engaged in Valasaravakkam stretch work of the Phase II project. Initial probe revealed that no safety net was installed at the site where the work was under way. Officials are examining if mandatory protective equipment, including harnesses, was provided and used properly.
Police quiz metro site supervisors over death
Police said the incident took place around 7.30 pm at pillar no.185 on Arcot Road near Rajaji Avenue. Ganjhu was engaged in structural work at an elevated level when he slipped and fell from the pillar and suffered critical head injuries.
Fellow workers alerted the emergency services and he was rushed to a private hospital in an ambulance around 8.30 pm. However, doctors declared him dead and the body was later shifted to a government hospital for postmortem.
Valasaravakkam police have registered a case against the supervisor under the BNS section 106(1) and initiated an investigation into the circumstances leading to the fall.
Police interrogation is also under way with site supervisors and representatives of the contracting firm responsible for the works. A detailed probe into possible administrative negligence or violations of safety norms would be conducted to ascertain accountability, authorities said.
Construction activity at the spot was briefly suspended following the incident, sources said. Metro rail authorities have not responded to queries regarding the incident.