Kolkata Flyover Collapse: IVRCL dubs flyover collapse as an “accident”

The city-based IVRCL which was constructing the flyover in Kolkata, a portion of which collapsed yesterday killing 24 people, today described the incident as an “accident”, a day after another official of the company had dubbed it as an “act of God”.

“An act of God was just an expression only to describe that it is under no one’s control”, P Sita, the construction company’s legal team head, told reporters here.

K Panduranga Rao, Group Head (HR & Admin) of the Hyderabad-based company had told reporters yesterday, “it’s nothing but a God’s act. So far in 27 years we have constructed several number of bridges...such thing (collapse) never happened,”

“We are surprised and extremely shocked. We are there to cooperate with investigation, but investigation takes time”, Sita said.

Showing a photograph in a newspaper, she said that it looked like a site of bomb blast. There were various aspects which would be looked into.

Stating that same construction materials were used in building the ongoing flyover, she asked, “why did this happen? We are anxious to know the reasons”.

Regarding the delay, another official of the company said, “78 per cent work of the flyover is over. A number of clearances have not yet come”.

Meanwhile, a four-member police team from West Bengal today arrived in the city as part of its probe to question officials of IVRCL after the flyover it was constructing collapsed in Kolkata.

“They have come and are doing investigation,” a top police official of Hyderabad Police told PTI.

Kolkata Police had yesterday registered a case against the construction firm under sections 304, 308 and 407 of the IPC and sealed the local office of company engaged in the flyover’s construction.