Worker killed after concrete span of Dwarka e-way crashes in Delhi
A worker was killed when a 37-metre long concrete span collapsed on him at a construction site near Mahipalpur. Two supervisors have been arrested. The flyover is part of the stack interchange being constructed at the Shiv Murti near Mahipalpur to connect Dwarka Expressway with the Delhi-Jaipur highway, Delhi?s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, and the Nelson Mandela Marg in Delhi?s Vasant Kunj. The overall project is part of Package 1 of the Dwarka Expressway that is expected to be completed by December this year.
A 35-year-old worker was killed after a 37-metre long concrete span collapsed on him on Wednesday morning at a construction site of Dwarka Expressway near Mahipalpur.
The police said the incident took place around 9.30am. “One of the spans between the two pillars fell down. An earthmoving machine was passing underneath the flyover when the concrete span fell and its driver Mohammad Shakeel, 35, a resident of Rajasthan’s Bharatpur, got crushed under it. He died during treatment at a hospital,” said Manoj C, deputy commissioner of police (south-west Delhi).
“A case under relevant provisions is being registered. The site supervisor, Injmam Hussain, 30, and site manager Rohit, 35, have been arrested,” the DCP said.
The collapse site is just 100 metres from the main carriageway of the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway.
The flyover is part of the stack interchange being constructed at the Shiv Murti near Mahipalpur to connect Dwarka Expressway with the Delhi-Jaipur highway, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, and the Nelson Mandela Marg in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj. The overall project is part of Package 1 of the Dwarka Expressway which is being constructed in four phases. The work is expected to be completed by December this year.
A traffic marshal posted at the site said he heard a loud bang and ran away. “It seemed as if the entire flyover would come down. Thankfully, the structure is safe,” said the marshal, who did not wish to be named.
The DCP said that there was no traffic movement near the spot where the concrete span fell. “It is a construction site where an elevated portion of the Dwarka Expressway is under construction,” he said.
Sattar, Shakeel’s uncle, said, “We got to know about the incident in the morning and rushed to the spot. When there was no support under the flyover, then nobody should have been allowed to stand or work under it. We want justice for Shakeel. He has two kids and four sisters.”
An official of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said its officials and bridge experts have reached the spot to take stock of the situation.
A spokesperson for NHAI said, “According to site reports, prima facie, it appears to be a case of mechanical failure, as structural elements of superstructure and substructure are in sound condition. To ascertain reasons for the mishap, a three-member team of bridge experts has been constituted. The committee will examine all issues in detail and submit a report in four weeks.”
According to an official statement from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, “under erection span P8-P9 of the flyover”, which is part of Shiv Murti interchange on the Dwarka Expressway, toppled around 9.30 am. As per initial reports, the span was being erected and it was reportedly resting on temporary stools and hydraulic jacks, it said.
“The span was pre-stressed on June 2. The work on this flyover commenced with traffic diversion of NH-48 on March 18 for a period of 90 days. In this duration, 13 spans were erected,” the statement said.