MADURAI: Minister for State Highways EV Velu on Sunday, August 29, 2021 said the Madurai-Natham flyover accident happened due to the carelessness of the contractor and should have been an avoidable accident. His statement followed an inspection of the spot of the accident that killed a guest worker last evening.
Addressing the media persons in presence of state finance minister PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan, EV Velu said the flyover work is part of Rs. 545 crore Madurai-Natham four-lane highway and the work is likely to complete in April 2022. "The project is monitored by the central government's National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)", he said.
The hydraulic jack malfunction must have taken place due to the improper care and safety of the contractor, which led to the death of the worker. The works must have taken place under supervision of site engineer or project incharge but the work carried out on last evening by two guest workers- Aakash Singh and Saroj Kumar- without a supervision. The safety measures are lacking in the site for the workers and he has instructed the district collector to review the ongoing works on site by bringing experts under Professor Baskar of NIT-Trichy and also submit a report before the government decides the further course of action in the incident.
Further, he said the state department already conducted a checkup and identified newly raid roads that were in poor condition at eight places in the state and issued notices to the contractor and also took departmental action against the government staff. "A lab sheet maintenance will be commissioned soon in the state at the ongoing flyover construction site. The sheet will have details of people, supervisors engaged in work and the kinds of work carried for the day and will be submitted to their chief everyday", he said.
Case booked following the death of the guest workers
A case has been registered by Tallakulam police under 304 (a) and 287 IPC sections against Pradeepkumar, Santhiyenthar Varma, Baskar and other incharges after the guest worker Aakash Singh killed in the accident happened near Naganakulam Kanmoi in Natham Road of Narayanapuram. The complaint was issued by NHAI team leader A Anilkumar of JN Nagar 4th Street in Madurai.