Mizoram Rail Bridge Mishap: 3rd fatal accident involving construction company ABCI Infra

Earlier, NGT had asked ABCI to pay Rs 70 cr for the 12 people who died in a stone mine quarry collapse that it was operating. In 2022, two construction

While India celebrated the historic and triumphant moment of Chandrayaan 3 landing on the Moon, it was a sad day for many in Mizoram today. As many as 23 lives were lost after a steel girder collapsed and fell at the under-construction railway bridge project at Sairang in Mizoram killing them and injuring three others. All the people who died were workers who hailed from Malda in West Bengal.
The incident took place today morning at around 10AM.

This is the third fatal accident that involved the construction company ABCI Infrastructure Pvt Ltd. In just two years – 2022 and 2023, as many as 37 lives were lost in three different incidents where ABCI Infra is involved as the construction company. Here are the details:
Date: November 14, 2022
Incident: Stone mine quarry collapse
Location: Maudarh village in south Mizoram’s Hnahthial district
Casualties: 12 workers killed
Company involved: ABCI Infrastructure Pvt Ltd

Date: April 13, 2023
Incident: 2 construction worker falls from 26 feet of an under construction bridge
Location: Sihhmui near Aizawl, Mizoram
Casualties: 2 workers dead
Company involved: ABCI Infrastructure Pvt Ltd

Date: August 23, 2023
Incident: Steel girder collapse in under-construction rail bridge
Location: Sairang, Mizoram
Casualties: 23 dead
Company involved: ABCI Infrastructure Pvt Ltd

The Railway Ministry has instituted a high level inquiry into the girder collapse incident today killing 23 workers on the spot at Sairang over the Kurung river connecting Bairabi to Sairang.
The under construction railway bridge that collapsed is identified as railway bridge no. 196 and situated at Sairang Zero point over a small stream called river Kurung and the girder collapsed in between two pillars.
Disaster Management and Rehabilitation officials said that out of the total 23 bodies of the construction workers, 18 have so far been recovered while 5 bodies are yet to be recovered.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed “pain” at the mishap and loss of lives. He announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF to the next of kin of each of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 for those injured.
“Pained by the bridge mishap in Mizoram. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. Rescue operations are underway and all possible assistance is being given to those affected. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. Rs. 50,000 would be given to the injured,” the PM said in a tweet.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw expressed his condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the incident, and announced ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased. Rs. 2 lakh would be given to the injured persons while, Rs. 50,000 will be given to people with minor injuries.

Earlier in January this year, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed ABCI Infra to pay Rs 70 crore for operating a stone mine without environmental clearance. At least 12 people died in the quarry collapse on November 14, 2022. The incident took place near Maudarh village in south Mizoram’s Hnahthial district. This is the mine from where ABCI was extracting stones for its construction activates in Mizoram without proper clearances and safety measures.
ABCI was asked to pay the amount to Mizoram chief secretary within a month.
Again on April 13 this year, two railroad construction workers were killed and 5 others were injured when they fell from around 8 meters (over 26 feet) from the under construction bridge in Mizoram. The dead workers, both from West Bengal, were identified as Samaul Haque (22) and Samirul Haque (28). They died instantly when a temporary structure used to pull up heavy steel structure collapsed due to a large nut being broken.
They were working in the railroad project to link broad gauge railway between Assam border Bairabi rail station and Sihhmui near Aizawl and the accident occurred at railway bridge no. 89.
The railroad construction was being undertaken by ABCI Pvt. Limited.
Questions are now being asked, why ABCI Infra is being allowed to continue working in Mizoram despite its callous functioning claiming 37 innocent lives. Do these lives not matter? Are the proprietors or promoters of ABCI Infra so powerful that the Mizoram government is scared to act against them? Or is it that some Mizoram government officials and political leaders hand in glove with ABCI Infra, therefore they are finding it difficult to act against ABCI Infra.

Also Read : Death toll in Mizoram rail bridge mishap mounts to 23

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