Bridge collapse: RVNL says no relation with metro construction

The Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, which is executing construction of the Joka-BBD Bag metro corridor in the vicinity of the Majerhat bridge that collapsed on Tuesday, denied any relationship of metro construction with the incident.

RVNL Chief Project Manager/Line A K Roy said the collapse of Majerhat road overbridge (ROB) girder over canal portion was a "mid-span failure of RCC girder which are very old and of longer length of approximately 40 metres".

"There is no relationship of Metro project construction with this mid-span failure of RCC girder of the ROB. In fact, the condition of piers on both ends are clear indication of this," he said in a statement.

Roy said the approach piers of ROB on both ends of the affected span were intact in position.

"Metro foundation work at 4.5 m away from this ROB's piers has been completed long back (more than one year) and presently preparatory work away from the ROB was in progress for deck casting," he said.

The RVNL is the executing agency for construction of the Joka-BBD Bag metro corridor, which passes through the vicinity of the Majerhat bridge, part of which caved in this evening leading to the death of one person and injury to several others.