Varanasi tragedy: 2 more officials suspended after CM orders strict action

Action is yet to be taken against UPSBC managing director Rajan Mittal, who continues to be the managing director of the Rajkiye Nirman Nigam.

The Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation (UPSBC) suspended two more officials on Friday after chief minister Yodi Adityanath called for strict action against everybody indicted by a probe committee in the recent collapse of a Varanasi flyover.

The portion of the flyover that collapsed, killing 15 people in Varanasi on Tuesday. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT Photo)

The officials were identified as chief project manager Genda Lal and junior engineer (civil) Rajesh Pal.

As many as 15 people died in the tragedy, which occurred on Tuesday. The three-member team constituted to probe the incident submitted its report to Adityanath two days later.

The probe report named seven officials, including UPSBC managing director Rajan Mittal, after which the chief minister directed that stern action be taken against all of them. However, the UPSBC has only partially carried out the order – suspending six officials and sparing Mittal, who continues to be the managing director of the Rajkiye Nirman Nigam (another subsidiary of the public works department).

The bureaucrat – considered close to senior Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav – was removed from the post of UPSBC managing director by former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav following complaints lodged against him in 2016. He was recently reappointed to the post and also given additional charge of the Rajkiye Nirman Nigam by deputy chief minister Keshav Maurya.

Four officials – chief project manager HC Tiwari, project manager KR Sudan, assistant engineer Rajesh Singh and engineer Lal Chand – were suspended with immediate effect on the day of the tragedy.