Kendrapara: Three engineers have been suspended by the Odisha government in connection with the partial collapse of an under-construction bridge over the Gobari River in Kendrapara Town last month. The Principal Secretary of Works Department placed these engineers under suspension with immediate effect for violation of Odisha Government Servants’ conduct Rules, 1959, gross negligence in duty, technical flaw and compromising with the quality of work.
The action was taken after one prestressed concrete girder caved in along with incidental damage to the bridge March 15 morning. The suspended engineers are Khirod Chandra Behera, the Executive Engineer (E.E) of Kendrapara R&B Division -1, Nihar Ranjan Majhi, the Assistant Executive Engineer(A.E.E), Sub Division-1 and Prasan Kumar Samal, the Assistant Engineer (A.E).
The mishap occurred when the contracting agency, ARSS Infrastructure projects limited, was placing a girder over the main bridge. It collapsed due to some technical and operational faults.
The labourers engaged in construction work, however, had a close save. Kendrapara district collector Amrit Ruturaj had directed the Executive Engineer of Works Department to hold a detailed inquiry into the lapses in the construction and fix responsibilities for the flaws.
A 12-member high-level technical team of the Works department led by Engineer-in-Chief (Designs) Dr. Narayan Chandra Pal and Chief Engineer R&B Durga Prasanna Mishra visited the bridge collapse site to conduct an inquiry.
The Odisha Lokayukta March 17 directed the Director of Vigilance, Odisha, Cuttack to inquire into the alleged substandard work leading to the collapse of a portion of the under-construction bridge.
Taking a Suo Motu cognisance of the news extract, the anti-corruption ombudsman asked the Director of Vigilance to find out if there exists a prima facie case of any corruption/misconduct on the part of the public servant and the contractor for proceeding further in the matter.
The Odisha Lokayukta has directed that the preliminary inquiry report by the Vigilance be submitted by June 26.
UNI