Two hurt in Metro accident

Two hurt in Metro accident
Bangalore, DH News Service:

That accidents and infrastructure projects go hand-in-hand was once again proved here on Monday, as an under construction pier of the Bangalore Metro slipped during handling on CMH Road, injuring two labourers.


The pier is a part of the CMH Road station that is being constructed by IVRCL-18CR, the contractors of the project. As soon as the incident took place, bystanders and shopkeepers gathered at the spot, causing further commotion.

Already in the news following the Delhi Metro accident last month, the Metro incident has once again cast apprehensions on safety procedures followed during construction of the Rs 8,158 crore massive transportation project.

Additional weight

The incident took place at 11.30 in the morning, when workers engaged in steel reinforcement lapping work of a pier under execution, in the pre-concrete stage gave way, after workers reportedly subjected the structure with additional weight.

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) later said it was a handling error. According to sources and eye witnesses, a slight slippage of the reinforcement took place, bending the steel cage that comprises iron rods and wire mesh. This resulted in the workers, Lakwendra Nayak and Beerhain who were standing on a platform at a height of about 10 mts above ground, falling down, sustaining injuries.

BMRC officials said each pier contains 72 iron rods, each weighing about 30 to 40 kgs,10 mtrs in length and 32 mm in width.

“It happened due to mishandling of the pier, while tying each rod on lapping work. Every single element in the pier is inter-connected to one another, Additional weight on one of them, is bound to cause the structure to slip and bend” explained a BMRCL official.
On-site engineers and project managers immediately shifted the injured workers, who hail from Orissa, to the nearby Chinmaya Mission Hospital (CMH), at Indiranagar.
They were treated as outpatients for skin abrasions and minor cuts on hands and one worker injured his leg.

Safety not ignored

On whether, any safety aspect has been ignored/neglected, BMRCL spokesperson and deputy chief engineer B L Yashavanth Chavan said all necessary measures have been taken.

“Every worker is provided with a helmet, safety belts and rubber shoes and has been given training on safety aspects while going about their work, Despite this, accidents happen. They cannot be predicted in advance” he added.

In the past

* Dec 2008, a crane toppled onto a pit dug for laying a pillar on CMH Road, in Indiranagar. No injuries reported
* Jan 2009, a 20 year-old security guard came under the wheels of an earthmover on MG Road-Brigade Road junction, and died
* Jan 2009: four workers were injured during a demolition operation in Rajajinagar I Block on January 29, when a wall fell on them
* May 2009, a worker died in another demolition when a building wall collapsed on him on Mahakavi Kuvempu Road in Rajajinagar
* July 2009, a labourer died when a wall fell on him during demolition near Lalbagh West Gate