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Key Points

A tragic bridge construction accident in Cuttack, Odisha, claimed three lives and injured two workers when a concrete slab collapsed during lifting. The state Works Department has swiftly constituted a high-level technical committee to investigate the incident and identify responsible parties. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased. The committee, chaired by the EIC-cum-Special Secretary, is required to submit a comprehensive report within 15 days.

Key Points: Odisha Bridge Collapse Probe Launched After Fatal Cuttack Mishap

  • Three workers died during Kathajodi river bridge construction project
  • High-level technical committee formed to investigate incident
  • Chief Minister announces Rs 5 lakh compensation for victims' families
  • Committee to submit detailed report within 15 days
2 min read

Odisha constitutes high-level committee to probe fatal bridge mishap in Cuttack

High-level committee investigates deadly bridge construction accident in Cuttack, claiming 3 lives and leaving 2 injured

"Some error on the part of the agencies engaged in the project was responsible - Prithiviraj Harichandan, Works Department Minister"

Bhubaneswar, May 4

The state Works Department has constituted a high-level technical committee to probe the accident that occurred during the construction of a bridge over Kathajodi river at Khannagar in Cuttack, an official said on Sunday.

As many as three workers died while two others sustained grievous injuries due to the fatal accident that occurred on Sunday.

The technical committee has been instructed to submit a detailed report and the persons responsible for the tragic accident.

An official notification issued by the Odisha Works department on Sunday read: “A high-level Technical Committee is hereby constituted with the following members to enquire into the causes of fatal mishap that occurred on 03.05.2025 during execution of the project on improvement to Cuttack ring road to 6-Lane Standard from 19/600 Km to 21/700 km (Khannagar to Link Road) including 03-lane elevated corridor of 993 meter under State Plan. The Technical Committee will submit a detailed report along with the persons/entities responsible for such lapses to this Department within 15 days."

The high-level technical committee chaired by the EIC-cum-Special Secretary to Government also comprises the Chairman Works Department, Chief Engineer Roads-II of Odisha and the Additional District Magistrate, (General) of Cuttack district.

Earlier, while speaking to mediapersons, the state Works Department minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Sunday termed the incident unfortunate and admitted that some error on the part of the agencies engaged in the execution of the project or the technical staff presented at the spot was responsible for the fatal mishap.

As per reports, three persons including one engineer died when a ready-made concrete slab, being lifted by a crane for the under-construction bridge on Kathajodi River, collapsed and crushed five persons including the deceased persons on Saturday evening.

Two persons seriously injured in the incident have been undergoing treatment at the SCB medical college and hospital in Cuttack. Following the incident, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the family members of the deceased.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun P.
Very sad to hear about this incident. These workers risk their lives daily for our infrastructure development. The ₹5 lakh compensation is decent but the government should also ensure strict safety audits for all ongoing projects. Jai Odisha! 🙏
P
Priya M.
Why do we always form committees after such tragedies? The contractor should be blacklisted immediately if safety norms were violated. My heart goes out to the families who lost their breadwinners.
R
Rahul K.
This Kathajodi bridge project has been going on for years now. Such accidents show the pressure workers face to meet deadlines. Hope the committee does proper investigation, not just a formality.
S
Sunita T.
As someone from Cuttack, I've seen how this bridge construction has disrupted daily life. But no development is worth human lives. The engineers responsible must be held accountable if negligence is found. Om Shanti for the departed souls.
D
Deepak N.
The committee has only 15 days to submit report? Proper investigation takes time. Don't want another hasty cover-up. Also, ₹5 lakh is too little - these workers deserve better life insurance coverage from the contractors.
M
Meena R.
My brother works in construction - these accidents happen because companies compromise on equipment quality to save money. Government should make surprise inspections mandatory with heavy penalties for violations. Stay strong Odisha!

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