• Source:JND
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An under-construction building at Kannauj railway station collapsed on Saturday afternoon, trapping approximately two dozen workers under the debris, officials reported. At least 23 individuals were injured in the incident, with six of them immediately rescued and taken to the hospital. The North Eastern Railway (NER) has established a three-member committee to investigate the collapse.

"A railway building was being constructed at Kannauj Railway station and lintel was being applied when it collapsed and reportedly 24 people got injured. 4 of them are in the medical college and 20 in the district hospital. Teams are trying to find out if any more persons are trapped and the injured are being treated. An inquiry will be conducted and those guilty of negligence will be punished," UP Miniter Rajni Tiwari said. 

Initial visuals from the site depicted scenes of chaos, with crowds, dust clouds, and shattered beams as rescuers worked to free the trapped workers. District Magistrate Shubhrant Kumar Shukl stated, "Preliminary information suggests the roof's under-construction shuttering collapsed. Our top priority is rescuing the trapped workers. We are utilizing all available resources for the rescue operations."

Roof shuttering is a temporary support structure for concrete while it sets. Minister of State for Social Welfare, Asim Arun, also visited the site. "Currently, 23 people are injured—20 with minor injuries and three with severe injuries. The rescue operations are ongoing and expected to continue for a few more hours," he said.

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Construction of the new terminal at Kannauj railway station was part of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Arun mentioned. "A thorough investigation will follow once the rescue is completed," he assured.

The NER division of Indian Railways announced that a high-level three-member committee, comprising the chief engineer (planning and design), the additional divisional railway manager (Izzatnagar), and the chief security commissioner of the Railway Protection Force, will probe the incident.

Chief Public Relations Officer Pankaj Kumar Singh confirmed, "Injured workers are receiving proper medical treatment. Compensation has been set at ?50,000 for minor injuries and ?2.5 lakh for serious injuries."

Mahesh Kumar, a worker who narrowly escaped, recounted, "The shuttering collapsed suddenly after the concrete was poured. Everyone on it fell. I was at the edge and managed to escape."

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to ensure the safe recovery of those trapped and proper medical care for the injured. State Relief Commissioner Bhanu Chandra Goswami is coordinating with the district administration for relief efforts.

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Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are actively working at the site. Ambulances are on standby, and the district hospital's emergency ward is prepared with doctors ready to handle the situation, officials stated.


(With PTI Inputs)