Bridge collapse: Body of another Metro construction worker found, death toll at 3
Kolkata: One more body has been recovered on Thursday, from under the debris of the collapsed portion of Majerhat Bridge.
The person was later identified as Goutam Mondal (45), who was a Metro Railway construction worker. He had been trapped inside the room for labourers located under the bridge, which was crushed under the concrete chunks.
On Wednesday, the body of another Metro construction worker, identified as Pranab Dey (24), was recovered from the same spot. On Thursday, during the joint search operation by NDRF, DMG and the police, the body of Mondal was located under the debris. To find out the exact spot, sniffer dogs were called in. At around 6 am, one of the dogs successfully located the body.
As soon as the body was located, NDRF and DMG started clearing up the concrete chunks of the said spot carefully. Approximately within half an hour, the body was recovered and sent for autopsy, after being declared dead at SSKM Hospital.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited SSKM Hospital on Thursday evening to visit the injured victims.
On the other hand, traffic situation was in a mess for movement via Diamond Harbour Road in Behala. Following the collapse of Majerhat Bridge, vehicular movement in a portion of South Kolkata has been diverted through several routes, which are much narrower than Diamond Harbour Road.
As a result, traffic movement is getting choked for long durations. Stretches which can be covered within 20 minutes, took at least one and a half hours on Thursday, during peak hours. As a result, office goers and school students suffered badly. While going to school, a large number of students reached late. After the end of classes, they had to wait for a long time to get back home.
In an incident, over 100 students of Alipore Government Multipurpose Girls' School were not allowed to attend school as they reached late due to the traffic snarl. They were forced to stand on the street in rain on Thursday morning, after they arrived late due to severe traffic jam, which was the result of traffic diversion.
The students, studying in Classes III to XI, had arrived at the school half an hour late.
For three periods, they stood on road. The students immediately got in touch with their parents.
Calling the decision of the headmistress not to allow the students coming to the school late as wrong, the visibly annoyed parents said the girls had come to the school by school bus. "We are helpless if the buses come late. Such behaviour on part of the headmistress is unfortunate."
