2018 Kolkata bridge collapse

The 2018 Kolkata bridge collapse refers to the collapse of the Majerhat Bridge, in the city of Kolkata, India, on 4 September 2018.[2][3] The bridge collapsed at around 4:45 PM (IST), resulting in the death of 3 people while injuring at least 25 others.[4][1][5][6]

2018 Kolkata bridge collapse
Majerhat Bridge
Majerhat Bridge (Kolkata)
Location of bridge collapse
Date4 September 2018 (2018-09-04)
LocationAlipore, Kolkata, India
Coordinates22.518°N 88.323°W / 22.518; -88.323
Deaths3[1]
Non-fatal injuries25[1]

Majerhat Bridge

Majerhat Bridge is located at Majerhat, Alipore, a neighbourhood of South Kolkata.[7] It was a major arterial road (Diamond Harbour Road) in the area connecting the southern suburbs to other parts of the city via Behala.[7][1][4] It is also part of National Highway 12.[7]

Majerhat railway station is located beside the bridge. There is also nearby construction for Kolkata Metro Line 3; a planned station for Majerhat. The bridge crosses the Indian Railways Sealdah South local rail network from Sealdah to Budge Budge as well as the Kolkata Circular Railway lines.

Background

There has been concern around the time of the accident that in Kolkata, and in wider India, proper road maintenance was not being undertaken.[8] This incident was the third bridge collapse in Kolkata in 6 years.[7] On 4 March 2013, part of a flyover in Ultadanga had also collapsed.[7] On 31 March 2016, part of an under-construction flyover had collapsed in central Kolkata's busy Girish Park area.[9][7] 27 people had died in the tragedy, leaving 80 people gravely injured.[10]

There had been reported concerns about Majerhat Bridge itself. At the time of the collapse the bridge was apparently over 50 years old.[7] In 2010, the Majerhat Bridge had undergone repairs for subsidence.[11] An audit in 2016 flagged the bridge as unsafe.[12] Concerns had been raised in 2018 by police, commuters and nearby residents stemming from visible cracks appearing in the structure.[12]

Incident

The bridge caved in around 4.45 PM. Videos from the locality showed a portion of the bridge resting on the street below including at least nine vehicles, including a minibus, stuck on it.[9]

Deaths

Rescue efforts

The rescue effort was started by the Kolkata Police, an Indian Army unit from Fort William and five special disaster management teams of the NDRF[15] after the mishap.[16] Injured people were sent to nearby SSKM, CMRI and Vidyasagar hospitals for treatment.[17]

Aftermath

After the collapse, Eastern Railways suspended train services via Majerhat railway station on the Kolkata Circular Railway and Sealdah-Budge Budge lines.[18] Widespread road traffic disruption ensued as the bridge was a major route for vehicles moving between north and south Kolkata.[18][19]

The Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee asked Chief Secretary Moloy Kumar De to hold an investigation committee into the collapse.[6] She had noted that 20 bridges in the city were at risk of collapse.[6][20] A Times of India article on 7 September 2018 noted that the Public Works Department has admitted that urgent repairs had not been carried out properly, it was noted that patchwork repairs were carried out on the bridge, adding layers of bitumen, and therefore weight, rather than a thorough repair.[20] The collapse led to a rising distrust among the public regarding the safety of bridges in India.[8]

The safety of bridges in West Bengal has further come under scrutiny, as there have been 3 bridge collapses in September 2018 alone.[21]

Preliminary results of investigations suggest that pollution and poor maintenance contributed to the bridge collapse.[22][23] Accusations that Metro construction had led to bridge collapse were felt to be unfounded.[22][23] There have been reports that repairs were hastily completed with claims that "a month's work was done in one night".[24]

The state public works department (PWD) has undertaken a complete tear down of the old bridge and reconstruction of a new bridge at the same location and is aiming to commission the new bridge in July 2020[25]

Reactions
  • Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal – said after the accident that the priorities are relief and rescue with the investigation commencing later. She also announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh (equivalent to ₹5.4 lakh or US$7,500 in 2019) to the family of each deceased, and ₹50,000 (equivalent to ₹53,830 in 2019) each to the injured.[26][27]
  • Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India – tweeted that the loss of lives in the collapse is deeply unfortunate.[15]
  • Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister – stated that the bridge collapse incident in Kolkata is extremely tragic.[28]
  • The Rail Vikas Nigam Limited project manager for the nearby Kolkata Metro Line 3 construction works, has denied the metro construction led to the bridge collapse.[12]
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See also

References
  1. PTI, PTI (4 September 2018). "Bridge in busy Kolkata locality collapses, one killed – Times of India". The Times of India. PTI. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  2. "India bridge collapse: Many feared dead as major Kolkata bridge collapses during rush hour". Retrieved 4 September 2018
  3. "Kolkata's Majerhat bridge collapses, rescue operation underway", Indian Express. Retrieved 4 September 2018
  4. Correspondent, HT (4 September 2018). "Many feared trapped in Majerhat Kolkata bridge collapse". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  5. "Kolkata Majerhat Bridge Collapse Live Updates". indianexpress.com. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  6. "Kolkata bridge collapse death toll rises to three". The Hindu. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  7. "Kolkata bridge collapse: Search operations continue for survivors". TOI. 5 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  8. "Kolkata Majerhat Bridge collapse: What's wrong with India's bridges?". Times of India. 5 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  9. Sanyal, Anindita (4 September 2018). "Second Bridge Collapse in 3 Years in Kolkata, One Dead: 10 Points". NDTV.com. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  10. News18, News18. "Kolkata bridge collapse: Toll reaches 27 after rescue workers pull out 3 more bodies". News18. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  11. "After Taratala crack, subsidence in Majerhat bridge". Times of India. 28 June 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  12. Ghosh, Dwaipayan; Konar, Debasis (5 September 2018). "Kolkata bridge collapse: PWD ignored multiple red flags". Times of India. TNN. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  13. "Crushing timing: bridge cash flows". The Telegraph. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  14. "No room for repairs, complains Mamata". The Telegraph. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  15. "Kolkata's Majerhat bridge collapse Higlights: Five NDRF team rush to spot". Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times. 5 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  16. "1 Dead in South Kolkata Bridge Collapse". ndtv.com. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  17. "Kolkata: Tales of tragedy and miracle from crash site". Times of India. 5 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  18. "Majherhat bridge collapse sends road traffic haywire, train services hit". Times of India. PTI. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  19. "Collapse effect: Rattle of a ride on alternative routes – Times of India". The Times of India. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  20. "Majerhat bridge: PWD owns up, says should have avoided repair shortcuts". The Times of India. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  21. Konar, Debasis (24 September 2018). "Under-construction bridge collapses in West Bengal". The Times of India. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  22. Ghosh, Dwaipayan (11 September 2018). "Majerhat bridge: Forensics blame it on maintenance but cops pursue Metro piling angle – Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  23. Mandal, Sanjay (16 September 2018). "Crash blame on pollution, flab". telegraphindia.com. Telegraph India. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  24. Saran, Mekhala (4 September 2018). "Majerhat Bridge Was Hastily Repaired: Month's Work Done in a Night". The Quint. The Quint. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  25. Ajanta Chakraborty (1 March 2020). "Kolkata: Majerhat bridge looks at July completion". The Times of India. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  26. "Portion of Kolkata's prominent Majerhat Bridge collapses, many feared trapped". Retrieved 4 September 2018
  27. "Majerhat bridge collapse: Blame game begins over Kolkata mishap as Opposition alleges 'callousness' towards maintenance". Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  28. "Kolkata's Majerhat bridge collapse | Updates: One killed, at least six trapped under debris". The Hindu. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
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