Bhopal: At least 10 people were injured after a portion of railway bridge ramp at Bhopal station collapsed on Thursday.
A major tragedy was averted as parcel was kept under the portion that collapsed, else the casualties would have been massive.
It happened around 9 am when Tirupati Express was standing at platform number 3.
The portion of the ramp collapsed and fell. Passengers on the ramp were injured after falling from a height of around seven metres.
There is a stall under the bridge. It was also damaged. A vendor was also injured.
The portion of the ramp was built in 1991 and inspection was done in March 2019. However, officials failed to find any issues in the structure.
According to onlookers, passengers on the bridge were rushing towards the platform from the bridge when the ramp collapsed.
Soon, a team of the Government railway police (GRP) Bhopal and Railway Protection Force (RPF) reached the scene. All the injured were taken to Chirayu Hospital and Hamidia Hospital.
Top railway officials including the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Uday Borwankar rushed to the spot. Contacted, Borwankar said that the bridge was built in 1991 and an inquiry had been ordered to ascertain whether maintenance work was carried out or not.
He said the railways will bear the expenses of treatment of the injured.
A vendor claimed that he had seen a metal falling from the bridge and had informed deputy station superintendent (DSS) about it. However, no action was taken on his plaint.
On being questioned, DRM Bhopal said that probe team will take statement of the complainant and ascertain if there was any laxity.
The inqiury will be carried out by Jabaplpur based team of enginering section of the railways and a report will be submitted to the DRM.
People seriously injured include Anupam Sharma (31), Khaleel-ur-Rehmaan, Khalid Beg, Nahid Jahan, Mariyam (18), Saleem-ur-Rehmaan and Ayan Khan (15).
The Government Railway police (GRP) have filed a case under various sections for negligence. GRP deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Ajay Sengar said that a probe was underway and a case of negligence was registered.
Minister of public relations in the state government PC Sharma visited the site and ordered a magisterial inquiry. He also said that the state government would extend monetary help to the injured. The seriously injured would receive Rs 50,000 and others Rs 10,000.
