Death toll rises to 22 in Kota bridge collapse

Kota: With the recovery of 15 more bodies today from the debris of an under-construction bridge over Chambal river, the death toll has risen to 22 even as the two officials arrested in connection with the collapse were remanded in police custody for five days.

The bridge over Chambal river had collapsed on Thursday evening. "Fifteen more dead bodies have been pulled out till evening today and around 20 others are still missing," IG Kota Range Rajeev Dasot told PTI. According to the officer, efforts are underway to locate the missing labourers who were working at the site. In the rescue operation, 200 labourers, 200 policemen, 50 officials, 80 Army Jawans, 20 experts from calamity relief management of Gujarat and naval divers are engaged. Meanwhile, the two arrested officials -- chief project manager of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and deputy project manager of Gammon India -- were produced before a local court here which sent them to five-day police remand. Kota police has also registered a case against 14 officials of Gammon and Hyundai in connection with the mishap. On the other hand, NHAI member Subhash Patel said here that both the companies will continue to execute the project. He also showed confidence in working ability of both the companies and said human error might have led to the collapse as there was no doubt about the designing technology.