3 days after portion of rail overbridge collapsed in Ggm, FIR yet to be filed

Gurugram: Three days after the portion of the rail overbridge (ROB) in Pahari village along the Rewari Pataudi road collapsed, no FIR has been registered as yet. This is despite the fact that there is growing clamour for action against the officials and the engineers under supervision and management of which the ROB was built.

Expected to improve the road infrastructure of Gurugram, the new rail overbridge was inaugurated for the common public just six months back on September 6 last year by the then state PWD Minister Rao Narbir Singh.

However, when the portion of Hero Chowk flyover collapsed, FIR was registered against the contractors under the Sections 334 (causing voluntary hurt) and 34 (common purpose) of the IPC. Investigations in the case are still underway. Satya Prakash Jarawata, the MLA from Pataudi, has already stated that the process is already being undertaken to blacklist the contractors involved in the construction.

Facing immense pressure over the portion of ROB in Pahari village collapsing, more bad news is in store for Haryana PWD with the ROB developing more cracks. Now to survey the ROB, the officials from the public agency are planning to bring in some experts from IIT Roorkee to ascertain the reasons for the collapse.

In 2017 when first among series of flyovers and underpasses were constructed, it was hailed as one of the major achievements of the state government to transform the infrastructure of Gurugram. Two-and-a half years since the opening of the first of the many flyovers, there is clamour from the opposition, the citizen groups and the local residents that reside around the areas where flyovers are constructed, demanding accountability. It is important to note that despite various such incidents being reported from the city, there have been no arrests or even suspensions despite FIRs being registered in some of these cases. The demand comes as the flyover cum rail overbridge at Pahari village situated along the Rewari- Pataudi road collapsed. With the weekend resulting in less traffic in the area, the incident, fortunately, resulted in no casualties and damage to the vehicles. The entire cost of the project was pegged at Rs 20 crore.

The collapse of the portion of the flyover has not come as a surprise to the village heads that had already registered the complaint of the substandard materials being used for the construction of the flyovers.

"We have begun the process of identifying the flaws that had led to the collapse of the portion. As of now, it seems that the movement of heavy vehicles, coupled with heavy rains led to the portion being collapsed," said a senior official from PWD.

The technical explanation of the portion of the flyovers coming off was also given during the portion of the Rampura flyover coming off. Following the same script, the flyover that was opened after a long delay first developed cracks months after it getting opened. Six months after the rectification of the cracks, however, the part of the flyover collapsed.