Clean-up in full swing at Games bridge collapse site

NEW DELHI - A day after an under-construction foot overbridge collapsed near the main venue of the Commonwealth Games, workers were busy removing mangled steel and heaps of debris Wednesday from the site where at least 27 labourers were injured.

The workers engaged in the clean-up at the site claimed they have been given strict instructions by the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi government not to talk to media.

“We have been told to think of our relatives who are admitted in the hospital, before saying anything,” a labourer at the site told IANS on condition of anonymity.

The foot overbridge, being built outside the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, was to offer people a link to the parking lot of the stadium.

The bridge was constructed by Hyderabad-based PNR Infra at a cost of Rs.5 crore (Rs.50 million/$1 million). Construction was to be completed within two-three days.

“The collapse is a responsibility of PNR infrastructure. The fault can be of the engineer, or even in the construction material,” a PWD official at the site of the collapse, told IANS.

PNR Infra has been blacklisted and a two-member committee has been set up to look into the matter. The firm had been contracted by the Delhi government.

The PWD has suspended the construction of another foot overbridge that was to come up opposite the bridge that collapsed Tuesday.

The authorities are re-thinking over the design of the structure.

“Now that one foot overbridge has collapsed, the other bridge is not of much use. The construction company is re-evaluating the design of the bridge,” Rakesh Mishra, chief engineer of PWD, told IANS.

“The re-evaluation would also cause a delay in the construction. We are working on an alternative route (for pedestrians) with the Delhi police,” Mishra added.

The Delhi government announced a compensation package of Rs.100,000 for those who sustained grievous injuries and Rs.50,000 for those with minor injuries. The Delhi High Court Wednesday hiked this to Rs.300,000 and Rs.100,000 respectively.

The opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, the biggest sporting event being hosted by India since the 1982 Asian Games, will be held at the Nehru stadium Oct 3.

Some 7,000 athletes and officials from 71 countries and territories are expected to participate in the Games.