In response to the tragic crane collapse at an under-construction bridge site in Cuttack, Odisha, which claimed three lives, including a site engineer, the State Government has swiftly constituted a three-member technical committee to investigate the incident.
Works Minister Prithviraj Harichandan visited the accident site on Sunday and announced the formation of the probe panel, headed by Engineer-in-Chief Laxmikant Padhi. The committee also includes the Chief Engineer and the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) General.
The team has been tasked with thoroughly investigating the circumstances leading to the crane failure and is expected to submit its inquiry report within 15 days.
The incident occurred on Saturday evening, during bridge construction work at Khannagar in Cuttack, when a crane collapsed while installing a concrete slab. The tragic mishap resulted in the death of three individuals, including one engineer and two labourers, and left two others critically injured. The incident has sparked widespread concern over safety standards at construction sites, prompting immediate action from state authorities.
The accident took place around 6 PM near Manjulata Hospital, along the Ring Road, where a 100-foot-long concrete slab was being hoisted approximately 50 feet above the ground to be placed on bridge pillars. According to eyewitnesses, one of the crane’s cables snapped, causing the heavy slab to crash to the ground and break into two pieces. The sudden loss of balance led to the crane’s 50-foot iron angle collapsing like a felled tree, with fragments of the structure falling on workers below. The crane operator was thrown from the driver’s seat, while four others were struck by the falling debris.
The victims were identified as Soumyaranjan Behera, a site engineer, Shibashankar Pattnaik, and Subashchandra Bhakta, both labourers. All three suffered severe head injuries and fractures to their arms and shoulders, and were declared dead at SCB Medical College and Hospital. The two injured workers, Arun Barik and Bikala Jena, remain in critical condition.
Local residents, workers, and employees at the site immediately began rescue operations. The Badambadi police and fire brigade teams arrived promptly, but by then, two of the injured had already been transported to the hospital by the construction company’s vehicle. Despite efforts, the three victims could not be saved.
The bridge, part of a project to widen the Ring Road from Malachandia Chhak to Press Chhak into a six-lane thoroughfare, is being constructed to bypass obstacles along the Kathajodi River. The project, initially undertaken by another contractor, is now managed by Arcade Construction, which has been working on the site for the past two years. The concrete slabs, prepared at an open space in front of the CNBT, were being installed on the bridge pillars when the accident occurred.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and ordered a high-level investigation to determine the cause of the crane failure. He also announced financial assistance of ₹5 lakh each for the families of the deceased from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
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Senior officials, including DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dyanadeo and CMC Mayor Subas Singh, visited the site to assess the situation and question the construction company’s staff. Later in the night, Departmental Minister Prithviraj Harichandan visited SCB Medical College to meet the injured workers. Local MLAs Sofia Firdous and Souvic Biswal also visited the hospital to offer support.
The incident has raised serious questions about the safety protocols followed by the construction company and the maintenance of heavy machinery like cranes. Authorities are expected to scrutinise the contractor’s practices and the quality of equipment used at the site.
As investigations proceed, the focus remains on ensuring justice for the victims and preventing such tragedies in the future.
