Lessons from Surat bridge span collapse tragedy

Surat, 5 July, 2014

Surat police has filed complaint against total 18 persons in Surat under-construction flyover span collapse case.

10 laborers were killed in this unfortunate incident on 10 June.

Umra Police received various technical reports including a report by Gujarat Engineering Research Institute(GERI) and booked 18 persons under IPS section 304(2), 337, 338 and 114. Th police arrested one Nemish Kunjkishor Dikshit(55) who is Deputy Engineer of Surat Municipal Corporation’s Bridge cell.

Lessons from the incident:

-GERI has in its report said that tests of compressive strength of core are found negative. Substandard material was used for construction of span CP 14-15.

-Bridge Cell engineer Gadhiya failed to follow procedure of proof checking of bridge design. Gadhiya, Dekshit and JP Akbari were responsible to supervise bridge construction on behalf of Surat Municipal Corporation.

-Mumbai based design consultant SN Bhobe and Associate had submitted faulty design. Though the bridge was in round shape, Bhobe’s design shows equal load on four corners which was a major fault.

-As per tender clause 42(1) bridge construction work was not allowed without engineer’s permission and before office hours. However the incident took place at 7.45 am when work was going on.

-Though it was not permitted, Rachna construction company handed over task to three persons through power of attorney. As per the statements of laborers and witnesses Rachna had assigned the project to one Rajendra Patel who is one of the directors of Rachna Construction. Others were Sanjay and Paresh Patel.

-Contractor had to set up a material testing laboratory on site, but such lab was not set up.

-Contractor had to filed details of skilled and unskilled labors in prescribed form. He had to submit weekly medical reports of laborers.

-There are total 68 spans in bridge and accident took place when construction of 65 spans was over. The span that collapsed CP-14 CP-15 and it was 65th span. It was constructed on 25th May and supports were removed after 15 days on 10 June when it collapsed from the height of 40 ft.

Complaint against whom?

Four directors of Rachna cosntruction Mahendra Ishwar Patel, Rajendra Ishwar Patel, Vasant Ishwar Patel and Navin Ishwar Patel.

Those who had taken power of attorney from Rachna construction – Sanjay Narottam Patel, Paresh Jenti Patel.

Company’s site incharge Janak Natha Patel.

Surat Municipal Corporation Bridge Cell’s engineers BK Gadhiya, Nk Dikshit and JP Akbari

Spectrum consultancy’s officer BK Nayak, Assistant Engineer Shailesh Hira Parmar, Junior Engineer Akash Dinesh Patel and Sanjay Hira Patel

Technical Assistant Bhavesh Patel

Mumbai based SN Bhobe designing consultancy’s Ataul Damodar Bhobe, employee Asha Amrutrai Patil and Mahesn Haresh Pasak

(Deputy Engineer NK Dikshit is only one who has been arrested. He was produced in court on Saturday and sent on two days remand. Police had sought five days remand.)

What about rest of the bridge?

GERI report suggests that substandard material(steel bars) was used in collapsed span. A question now arise whether the same material was used in another spans too which are ready? If so, the entire bridge that has been constructed has to be checked.