Bridge collapse - Tragedy at Hampi, 7 drown

BY SHIVAKUMAR G. MALAGI
HAMPI, JAN 22, 2009
Seven labourers died and at least 20 workers are missing after a suspension bridge across Tungabhadra river collapsed here on Thursday, bringing huge pillars, deck slabs and masonry crashing into the river.
Eyewitness Honnurappa, who operates a river ferry, said the 226-meter-long suspension bridge caved in at around 2 pm, soon after a team of 40 labourers resumed work after a break for lunch. Nine were injured in the mishap and were rushed to a nearby hospital.
Being built at a cost of Rs 11.48 crore, it is meant to connect the two ancient her itage sites of Anegundi in Koppal district where the famed king Krishna Devaraya was born, and Hampi in Bellary, where the Devaraya kings built the Vijayanagara kingdom. Both are Unesco heritage sites.
Anxious relatives and villagers began hunting for the missing workers, at least 10 of whom were skilled labourers from Orissa while the others were from Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring villages.
Honnurappa told Deccan Chronicle: “First, the pillars on the Hampi side collapsed, and then all the deck slabs started falling, this led to the central portion of the bridge on the Anegundi side caving in. This is where the labourers were working.” Villagers in Anegundi have identified three bodies fished out from the Tungabhadra river after a bridge collapse may have killed as as many as 20 people. The three bodies, fished out by distraught relatives were named as Dharmanna, 40, Bhemanna, 35 and Bharat, 25. Four bodies remain unidentified. Casualty figures could cross 20 as ferry operators said that with the river’s depth as deep as 300 ft. But senior police officers of both Bellary and Koppal districts maintain otherwise. “ Only two or three labours died and around five labourers are missing.” Seemanthkumar Singh, Superintendent of Police Bellary said that efforts are on to search for the missing labourers day and night and fish nets will be laid at certain points in river to fish out dead bodies.
“We can not give the exact number of casualties at this point of time. We will rope in the services of expert swimmers from Karwar Navy,” he said. Koppal MP K. Veerupakshappa pinned responsibility on “negligent” PWD engineers in monitoring the construction work. “I find the work by the construction agency sub-standard and want the government to blacklist the concerned contractor.” Health minister B. Sriramulu who visited the spot said Chief minister B. S. Yeddyurappa will conduct the spot inspection on Friday. “I will take the reports from the deputy commissioners’ and chief engineers of both districts and also rope in the services of the quality control experts to asses the work standard.