Contract company's negligence kills driver in Alappuzha

AROOR: A huge girder fell on a pickup van during the construction of the elevated highway on National Highway 66 in the Aroor–Thuravoor region, killing the driver instantly. The work was being done without diverting traffic.

The victim was C.R. Rajesh (47) from Pallippad, Harippad. He died tragically due to the contractors’ negligence. Rajesh was the only earning member of his family- his wife, a sick daughter, and a son. The accident happened around 2:30 a.m. yesterday.

Rajesh was returning to Alappuzha after unloading eggs in Ernakulam. When the girder fell, vehicles, including a superfast bus, were passing both in front of and behind the pickup. It was sheer luck that the heavy girder did not fall on the passenger bus.

Three girders were being placed between the pillars. While lifting the third one, the previously fixed girders slipped off the jack and fell. The first girder broke completely, and the second one crashed onto the pickup van. The cabin was crushed, and Rajesh, who was in the driver’s seat, died on the spot.

It took a crane and over three hours of effort to remove the wreckage. The body was recovered by 6:15 a.m. and taken to Ernakulam General Hospital.

Rajesh had been an autorickshaw driver for 20 years and was driving the pickup for a friend that day. He was the son of Rajappan and Saraswathi. His wife is Shailamma, and children Jishnu and Krishnaveni. The funeral was held that night.

The Aroor Police registered a case of culpable homicide (not amounting to murder) against the contracting company for negligence.

Compensation
Relatives protested and refused to accept the body, demanding proper compensation and a government job for Rajesh’s son. After discussions, the contracting company (Ashoka Buildcon, Maharashtra) agreed to pay Rs 25 lakh as compensation and Rs 40,000 for funeral expenses. The state government announced an additional Rs 4 lakh. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has appointed a committee to investigate the incident.

Traffic block
Traffic on the national highway was blocked for over nine hours after the accident and was restored around 10 a.m. Political parties also staged a road blockade in protest.

What is a Girder?

A girder is a large support structure made of steel or reinforced concrete, used to hold heavy loads over long distances in bridges and elevated roads.