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Kolkata Overpass Collapse Kills at Least 14, With Scores Feared Trapped Kolkata Overpass Collapse Kills at Least 16, With Scores Feared Trapped
(about 2 hours later)
NEW DELHI — Rescue teams in Kolkata scrambled on Thursday to retrieve scores of people believed to be trapped under a partially constructed vehicle overpass that collapsed with a deafening blast around midday.NEW DELHI — Rescue teams in Kolkata scrambled on Thursday to retrieve scores of people believed to be trapped under a partially constructed vehicle overpass that collapsed with a deafening blast around midday.
Witnesses told news channels that the collapse sounded like a bomb, shaking the surrounding buildings and engulfing pedestrians, rickshaws, cars and buses. The portion of the overpass that fell was more than 300 feet long, according to Sovan Chatterjee, the mayor of Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta.Witnesses told news channels that the collapse sounded like a bomb, shaking the surrounding buildings and engulfing pedestrians, rickshaws, cars and buses. The portion of the overpass that fell was more than 300 feet long, according to Sovan Chatterjee, the mayor of Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta.
Fourteen people have been confirmed dead and 57 hospitalized, a spokesman for the Kolkata police said. The toll seemed likely to rise. Sixteen people have been confirmed dead and 78 hospitalized, a spokesman for the Kolkata police said. The toll seemed likely to rise.
“Monumental tragedy,” Derek O’Brien, a spokesman for West Bengal, the state that includes Kolkata, said via Twitter. The state’s chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, who is seeking re-election, left a campaign event to go to the scene of the disaster.“Monumental tragedy,” Derek O’Brien, a spokesman for West Bengal, the state that includes Kolkata, said via Twitter. The state’s chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, who is seeking re-election, left a campaign event to go to the scene of the disaster.
Television footage showed a large structure of metal and cement that had crashed to the ground in a cramped, congested area. People could be seen digging through the wreckage with their bare hands, and cranes were removing crushed cars.Television footage showed a large structure of metal and cement that had crashed to the ground in a cramped, congested area. People could be seen digging through the wreckage with their bare hands, and cranes were removing crushed cars.
The overpass is in the crowded Ganesh Talkies neighborhood, named after an old movie theater. The project had been under construction since 2009 and missed several deadlines for completion, according to The Telegraph, a daily newspaper.The overpass is in the crowded Ganesh Talkies neighborhood, named after an old movie theater. The project had been under construction since 2009 and missed several deadlines for completion, according to The Telegraph, a daily newspaper.
In 2014, the company contracted to build the overpass had asked the government for more funds, citing inability to buy materials. At that point, the project was more than three years behind schedule, and residents had complained that it was perilously near to their homes. In 2014, IVRCL, the company building the overpass, asked the government for more funds, citing its inability to buy materials. At that point, the project was more than three years behind schedule, and residents had complained that it was perilously near to their homes — a growing peril as India undertakes
Last year, Ms. Banerjee publicly committed to completing the much-delayed overpass by February, according to The Telegraph, a goal engineers associated with the project told the paper was unrealistic. Her political opponents were swift to blame Ms. Banerjee’s administration. infrastructure projects in its increasingly crowded cities.
It was not immediately clear what caused the accident. K. Panduranga Rao, an official with IVRCL, told reporters on Thursday that a girder supporting the structure collapsed. But his associate, A.G.K. Murty, said it was too soon to know the cause.
“One girder missed, then the second one also fell; that’s how this accident has taken place,” Mr. Rao said in televised comments.
Both said that about 70 percent of the project had been completed.
Ms. Banerjee, the state’s chief minister, said that the project began under a previous administration, which contracted it to IVRCL. She said IVRCL had not shared the details of the project’s plan with the current government.
“Stringent action will be taken against officials of the construction company and others involved,” she said, according to The Press Trust of India.
Last year, Ms. Banerjee publicly committed to completing the much-delayed overpass by February, according to The Telegraph, a goal that engineers associated with the project told the paper was unrealistic. Her political opponents were swift to blame Ms. Banerjee’s administration.
“This is a very serious example of corruption,” said Kailash Vijayvargiya, a general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party. “The chief minister is directly responsible for the Kolkata accident, and charges of murder must be filed against the chief minister.”“This is a very serious example of corruption,” said Kailash Vijayvargiya, a general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party. “The chief minister is directly responsible for the Kolkata accident, and charges of murder must be filed against the chief minister.”