Three concrete beams of an under-construction bridge at Koolimad, near Mavoor, fell off as they were being fixed using a machine on Monday morning. The bridge across the Chailyar river is being built to connect Kozhikode and Malappuram districts.
According to sources, the incident occurred around 9 a.m. One of the beams fell into the river while the other two were found hanging from the bridge.
One injured
A labourer was reportedly injured in the incident.
Minister for Public Works P.A. Mohamed Riyas has sought a detailed report from the project director, Kerala Road Fund Board. An inquiry by the vigilance wing of the department has also been ordered.
A press release said that steps were on to fix the girders and complete the construction on time.
Construction work on the bridge began in 2019. Some of the construction materials were destroyed in the floods that year. The plan and estimated cost of the project had to be revised later.
‘Machine failure’
Meanwhile, Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society, the contractors of the project said the incident was a result of a machine failure. There was no negligence or lapses in construction, the society said in a release.
