Kolkata Flyover Collapse – Pre-Accident Warnings Were Ignored

Kolkata: The Vivekananda flyover bridge that collapsed on March 31 is one of many examples of the lack of work ethic of I Venku Reddy Construction Ltd (IVRCL), proving that actions could have taken to avoid the disaster that killed 27 people and injured 80 others.

Founded in 1987 by Indukuri Syam Prasad Reddy, IVRCL, based in Hyderabad’s Banjara Hills, has completed over 100 projects, but has a record known more for delays and missing deadlines. IVRCL’s area of expertise is laying pipelines and constructing irrigation canals, though it has executed highway projects and built bridges too.

On July 28, 2009, two laborers involved in laying a drainage pipeline on the outskirts of Hyderabad were buried alive when a mud wall collapsed. The company had declined to take responsibility, blaming loose soil for the collapse. After protests, IVRCL paid compensation, but escaped punishment.

Another project assigned to IVRCL by the undivided Andhra Pradesh government was a contract to build 120 flats for MLAs at Hyderguda, in August 2012. The project was to be completed in 16 months, but as of March 31, 2016, it is only 60 per cent complete.

In Jharkhand, IVRCL was blacklisted twice, after failing to fulfill two government contracts. The first pertained to rural electrification in three districts in 2006, where the work fell far behind schedule and wasn’t satisfactory.

The construction for Vivekananda flyover bridge was contracted in 2008, and the construction began in 2009. Since then, it has missed its deadline nine times, with the first deadline being on August, 2010.

On Friday, two officials including a chief engineer of the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), which was responsible for supervising work at the Vivekananda flyover, were suspended. A sub-contractor to whom IVRCL had given some parts of the flyover work is also being investigated. The company has denied any compromise with quality of work, or a design defect.

Forensic teams that collected samples of construction material from the site have identified pillar no. 40 as the point of the collapse. About 60 pillars of the flyover had been constructed, and cracks were reported on the girder of this pillar, standing at the crossing of Chitpur Road and Ganesh Talkies.