Boudh/Baunsuni: Labourers had a providential escape when a portion of the roof of an under-construction railway bridge of Khurda-Bolangir railway line collapsed near Purumunda Primary School in Khaliapali panchayat of Sadar block in Boudh district Saturday.
The Khurda-Bolangir rail route is billed as the lifeline of Western Odisha for which 110 km of rail route is being constructed on 3067.075 acres of land in Boudh district.
The construction of the track for Khurda Road-Bolangir rail route is in full swing. The under-construction railway line connecting Purunapani in Manamunda and Lunibahal collapsed after the roof was laid late Friday night.
A major mishap was averted as no injury or casualty was reported in the incident.
Locals alleged that the bridge collapsed due to substandard work by the contractor and lack of monitoring by the district administration.
They demanded a probe into the irregularities, action against the contractor and reconstruction of the bridge as per guidelines mentioned in the original design.
They claimed that the bridge, a central project involving crores of rupees, collapsed due to unholy alliance of unscrupulous engineers and contractors.
They have expressed their displeasure over the bridge construction as the road which connects it passes through a school.
The villagers claimed that the bridge will pose serious threat to the lives of the students if the connecting road passes through the school.
They alleged that though they have raised the issue with the local administration earlier, no step was taken in this regard.
PNN