Bhopal: A tragic accident struck the Sagaur Railway bridge construction site in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district on Thursday morning, resulting in the death of a truck driver and serious injuries to his conductor. The mishap occurred when a girder, being hoisted by two cranes, suddenly collapsed.
The deceased has been identified as Abhay Patidar, a mini-truck driver. His conductor, Kalyan Singh, sustained injuries and is currently receiving medical attention.
According to Dhar Superintendent of Police Mayank Awasthi, the incident happened when two cranes were jointly lifting a heavy girder. “One of the cranes, positioned on the Sagaur side, unexpectedly toppled, causing the girder to fall. A passing mini-truck (Tata Magic) and a pickup truck were struck by the debris. While one driver was rescued immediately, two individuals trapped under the fallen structure were extricated after a two-hour rescue operation,” Awasthi stated.
The railway overbridge, spanning approximately 500 meters in Pithampur’s Sector 3, has been under construction for the past three years.
Local advocate Rajesh Chaudhary pointed fingers at alleged negligence by railway officials and the contractor. “The site lacked a proper service road, and due to unstable ground conditions, one of the cranes sank and overturned. Despite prior warnings to the authorities, no action was taken,” Chaudhary claimed.
Authorities have deployed two additional cranes to manage the removal of the collapsed equipment and clear the site.