Close on the heels of Public Works Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas ordering the suspension of four officials, including the Executive Engineer (PWD Bridges) of Ernakulam, the police on Sunday arrested PWD overseer Sumesh and contractor Varkichen Valamattam, in connection with the case relating to a motorbike rider falling to his death from an under-construction bridge in Thripunithura early on Saturday morning.
Those who had been ordered to be suspended included the Executive Engineer, Assistant Executive Engineer, the Assistant Engineer, and the overseer who were in charge of the worksite. The victim, Vishnu, 27, of Eroor, who was an employee of a public sector oil firm, and his pillion rider, Adarsh, 22, who escaped with injuries, were reportedly unaware of the bridge being unfinished. The PWD had neither barricaded the worksite nor were there signboards to warn motorists of work being in progress, it is learnt. The youngsters fell into the Andhakaara Canal beneath the bridge.
Terming the death of the young motorist as an unfortunate event, Mr. Riyas, in a Facebook post, said he ordered the suspension based on an inquiry report submitted by the Chief Engineer of PWD. He had directed the District Collector to invoke stern penal provisions against the officials. Congress activists staged a sit-in protest at the PWD office on Saturday, decrying the apathetic attitude of officials to install warning boards and barricades.
There were complaints earlier about the PWD being very slow in constructing the bridge.
A senior police officer said the PWD Assistant Engineer, overseer, and the bridge’s contractor have been charged under Section 304-A of IPC (Causing death by negligence, which is punishable with fine and imprisonment up to two years) for failing to ensure adequate safety precautions at the worksite.
Quoting the PWD Manual, officials of the department said the Executive Engineer concerned is the ‘competent authority’, while the Assistant Engineer concerned is the ‘custodian’ of roads and bridges under their jurisdiction.
“They ought to ensure that roads and allied infrastructure are in good condition,” the officials said.
