Patna: An accident occurred late Monday night during the construction of the Patna Metro tunnel near Patna University on Ashoka Rajpath, resulting in the deaths of two workers and injuries to five others. The incident took place 60 feet underground when the brake of a soil-lifting machine, known as a loco, failed, crushing the workers beneath it. The bodies of the victims were severely mutilated in the accident.
The deceased have been identified as Manoj, Vijay, and Shyamababu, all hailing from Odisha. Among them, one was a loco pilot and the other a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) operator.
According to witnesses and workers present at the scene, around 25 people were working inside the tunnel at the time of the accident. “Suddenly, the brake of the loco failed, and it fell onto the workers. Those who died were crushed, and their bodies were torn into several pieces,” said one of the workers.
Panic ensued after the accident, with workers fleeing in all directions to save themselves. Engineers and other personnel working in the tunnel evacuated the site as well. All work at the site has been halted following the incident.
The tunnel construction, part of the Patna Metro project, was taking place along the stretch from Patna University to Gandhi Maidan. The construction of the first segment, from Moinul Haq Stadium to Patna University, had been completed, and work on the next stretch had begun on June 11. It was during this phase of construction that the fatal accident occurred.
Monisha Dubey, the Public Relations Officer for Patna Metro, confirmed that the accident was caused by the failure of the loco’s brake. “The injured workers are receiving medical treatment,” Dubey added.
Authorities are now investigating the cause of the brake failure and the safety protocols in place at the construction site. Further details are expected as the investigation unfolds.
This is the second accident to occur during the construction of the Patna Metro. Earlier, another worker lost his life in an incident at the Patna Depot when a truck driver accidentally reversed, crushing a laborer due to the absence of a guide.
