Mizoram: 17 workers dead as under-construction railway bridge collapses
What's the story
At least 17 people working on an under-construction railway bridge died after it collapsed near Mizoram's Sairang on Wednesday. Several others are feared to be trapped inside the debris. Reportedly, around 35-40 workers were present at the site, which is located nearly 21km from Aizawl, when the accident occurred at around 11:00am. Rescue operations are currently underway.
Twitter Post
Many others are missing: Police
VIDEO | At least 17 workers were killed and several others feared trapped after an under-construction railway bridge collapsed near Sairang area of Mizoram, earlier today.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 23, 2023
READ: https://t.co/a81kMfQ8Dk
(Source: Third Party) pic.twitter.com/woapGC2yaD
Details
Bridge part of project to connect all northeastern state capitals
Northeast Frontier Railway's (NFR) chief public relations officer Sabyasachi De said the collapsed bridge was part of an Indian Railways' project to connect all state capitals in the northeast. "It has been under construction for some years now... We are yet to ascertain the reason behind the accident and how many people actually were on it when it occurred," he said.
Compensation
Rs. 12 lakh compensation for kin of deceased
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has announced Rs. 2 lakh compensation to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 to those injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF). Meanwhile, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a compensation of Rs. 10 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs. 2 lakh for those critically injured in the incident.
Twitter Post
President Droupadi Murmu expresses grief over incident
Distressed to know that a tragic bridge mishap in Mizoram caused loss of lives. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 23, 2023
Connectivity
Mizoram has only 1 railway station
Notably, rail connectivity is poor in the northeast, primarily due to its hilly terrain, among other factors. Mizoram has only one operational railway station—the Bairabi Railway Station—in Kolasib district's Bairabi town, which connects to Katakhal Junction in Assam. The redevelopment of this small station began in 2016. The 51.38-km railway line commissioned between Bairabi and Sairang will reportedly have 204 bridges and 24 tunnels.