Expert team to investigate flyover girder collapse

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will send a team of experts to investigate the collapse of four concrete girders of an under-construction flyover of the Alappuzha bypass road earlier this week.

It was after K.C. Venugopal, MP highlighted the issue in a meeting of the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the NHAI decided to send a team. The team will consist of experts from various departments.

“The PAC has directed an urgent investigation and submission of a report on the collapse of the flyover girders. Officials from the Railways and the NHAI conducted inspections recently. Further action will be taken based on the inquiry report submitted by the expert team,” Mr. Venugopal said, adding that the construction should ensure compliance with quality standards and safety guidelines.

The girders collapsed near Vijay Beach Park, close to Alappuzha beach on March 3. The new elevated road is being built parallel to the existing flyover of the bypass road as part of the widening of National Highway 66.

Though no casualties were reported, the incident has raised safety concerns. One of the girders fell onto sheds situated on the side of the flyover, where construction workers used to stay. Fortunately, no one was inside the sheds when the incident occurred.

Authorities have visited the site and conducted examinations, but the exact reason for the collapse has not yet been identified. Earlier, local residents staged a protest alleging that low-quality materials were being used in the construction of the elevated highway.

Mr. Venugopal, following the incident, sent a letter to Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and demanded the formation of a technical team to evaluate the quality standards and safety guidelines to be followed in the construction of the elevated highway.

The construction of the second flyover, part of the Alappuzha bypass road, began a couple of years ago. The 6.8-km bypass road, including a 4.8-km elevated stretch, was opened in 2021.