Shahapur mishap: Negligence case registered against two local contractors

Two local contractors of Navayuga Engineering Company and VSL India have been booked for causing death by negligence after a girder launcher collapsed on the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway construction site, killing 20 people and injuring three. The contractors have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. Compensation of INR 5 lakh each will be paid by the companies to the families of the deceased.

The Shahapur police have registered a case of causing death by negligence against two local contractors of Navayuga Engineering Company and VSL India, the two big firms executing the construction of a 2.29-km stretch of the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway. A girder launcher on the site collapsed on Monday night, killing 20 people and injuring three.

Thane, India - August, 01, 2023: 20 people have died after the girder of under construction bridge fell on Samrudhi Highway, , in Thane, in Mumbai, India, on, Tuesday, August, 01, 2023. ( Praful Gangurde / HT Photo ) (Hindustan Times)

A press statement issued by the police said the two local contractors, who were not named, were booked under Indian Penal Code section 304 (A) (causing death by negligence), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), and 34 (common intention).

According to MSRDC officials, the work for the 2.29-km viaduct was given to Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd, which contracted VSL India Ltd, a Singapore-headquartered company, for launching the viaduct using specialised launchers. The mishap killed two VSL engineers, five company staffers and 13 labourers and injured three labourers.

The complainant is Prem Prakash Sao, who suffered a fracture when his right leg was trapped under the wreckage of the 700-metric-tonne girder launcher which collapsed suddenly on Monday night. Sao is currently in the Shahapur sub-district hospital.

In his complaint, Sao said he was on the night shift along with two other survivors, Chandrakant Verma and Kishor Hive. The trio worked as helpers and labourers on the girder-launching machine. Sao said around 17 to 18 labourers and eight to 10 engineers and supervisors were working around 11 pm on Monday when the accident occurred.

The survivor said while working on the girder-launching machine, he noticed that sparks were flying from an electric pole that supplied electricity to the machine, after which it collapsed. All the labourers, engineers, and supervisors fell off the machine, and some were trapped under it. Other company employees and villagers rushed to the spot and pulled out those crying for help from under the launcher, following which they were taken to Shahapur sub-district hospital.

Milind Shinde, deputy superintendent of police, Shahapur division, said no arrests had been made yet and further investigations were on. Vikas Singh, a doctor from Shahapur sub-district hospital, said most of the deceased had suffered serious head injuries, and were all brought dead. One injured person was being treated there while two had been sent to Thane for further treatment.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who visited the mishap site on Tuesday evening, said apart from the ex-gratia payments of ₹5 lakh from the state government and ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, Navayuga Engineering and VSL India had decided to pay a compensation of ₹5 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased.

Last rites today

Rajesh Nishad, brother-in-law of Parmeshwar Nishad, one of the deceased workers, said, “Our family members wanted to see Parmeshwar’s mortal remains. The ambulance left the hospital around 4.30 pm on Tuesday. The body will reach Jaunpur district in Uttar Pradesh around 2 am on Thursday. The final rites will be conducted in the morning.”