Rescuers on Friday continued to search for 50 labourers missing after an under-construction bridge on Chambal river collapsed near Kota killing six persons even as two officials of a private company building the structure were arrested.
The Chief Project Officer of Hyundai, and R Chattopadhya, Deputy Manager of Gammon India, have been booked under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of IPC and lodged in the Kunahri police station, Divisional Commissioner P L Agarwal said.
The accident occurred on Thursday evening when about 100 labourers were working there, Kota collector T Ravikant said quoting eye witnesses.
The injured were admitted to two private hospitals, where condition of three labourers was said to be critical, he said.
The army, which was called in on Thursday night, has been assisting civil administration in the operation to locate the labourers, who were feared trapped either inside the debris or swept in the current of the river, the collector said.
Divers, cranes and welders have been pressed into action, he said chilly weather was hampering the rescue operations.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot visited the mishap spot and gave directions for rescue and treatment of labourers.
Expert divers from Gujarat have come to locate the missing labourers, Agarwal said, adding cranes have been deployed to remove iron and steel rods, and clear the debris where trapped labourers might be found.
The reason behind the collapse of the 35 metre bridge is being ascertained, he said. The construction on the 1.4 km long bridge began in 2007 with an outlay of Rs.232 crores and is to be completed in 2011.
National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has announced an ex gratia of Rs.10 lakh to the next of the kin of deceased, Agarwal said.
NHAI officials gave an assurance that the injured would also be paid compensation, he said, adding the NHAI will probe the accident with a team of technical experts.
Gehlot has ordered an administrative probe into the incident by the Divisional Commissioner of Kota and Additional Chief Engineer of Public Works Department. IGP Rajiv Dasot said it would take at least a week to remove the debris. PTI
