Kerala Highway Tragedy: Girder Collapse Kills Driver Amid Safety Probe

The DC said a comprehensive inquiry will examine whether there were lapses in traffic regulation or violations of safety protocols at the site.

According to the preliminary assessment, a malfunction in the hydraulic jack used to lift the heavy girders led to the collapse in the early hours of Thursday.

"Clear instructions had been given to ensure strict traffic control in the construction area. However, given the nature and scale of the work, it may not have been feasible to fully block vehicle movement on the national highway," the Collector said. "We will investigate whether there was any negligence in following these directions."

Meanwhile, the company executing the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) project denied negligence.

Company coordinator Venu Gopal stated that the accident occurred due to a sudden hydraulic jack failure and not because of procedural lapses.

He claimed that the site had been under-regulated traffic flow at the time.

"We normally do not allow vehicles to pass through while girders are being installed. Unfortunately, one vehicle entered the zone unexpectedly, and the incident occurred," he said.

However, the company's explanation sparked angry protests from local residents, who rejected the claim that traffic was being managed properly.

Eyewitnesses alleged there were no barricades, signage, or visible safety arrangements in place when the girders were being lifted.

Locals accused the company of negligence and held it responsible for the driver's death, demanding accountability and stronger enforcement of safety norms.

The accident occurred around Thursday, 2.30 a.m. at Chandiroor, when two girders fell during construction -- one of them crashing onto a pickup van carrying eggs from Tamil Nadu to Alappuzha.

The driver, Rajesh, a native of Pallippad, was killed instantly.

Rescue workers took several hours to remove the 8,000-kg girder and recover his body. Public Works Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas has been briefed on the incident and has directed officials to submit a detailed report on the safety lapses that led to the tragedy.

Traffic on NH-66 continues to remain restricted as investigations proceed.

- IANS