Palanpur Bridge Collapse: Gujarat Government Orders Strict Action, Blacklists GPC Infrastructure

Palanpur : The Gujarat government has ordered strict action in the Palanpur Bridge accident case, blacklisting the construction company GPC Infrastructure and suspending two engineers. The order comes after a committee formed to investigate the incident found numerous flaws in the construction and safety measures.

On October 23, a slab of the overbridge under construction near Palanpur RTO Circle collapsed, killing two youths. Preliminary investigation revealed that barricades were not installed around the under-construction bridge, and that the construction company had failed to comply with safety standards.

Following the Chief Minister's order, the three-member committee started investigating the incident on the very day. They examined the site, collected concrete and steel samples, and gathered information from witnesses. The committee's report revealed that the construction company had made several mistakes, including:

• Using substandard materials
• Failing to follow proper construction procedures
• Not installing barricades and traffic management systems around the construction area

The committee also found that the National Highway Sub-Department, which was responsible for overseeing the project, had failed to properly supervise the construction work.

Based on the committee's report, the Gujarat government has ordered the following actions:

• Blacklisting GPC Infrastructure
• Suspending the Assistant and Deputy Executive Engineers of the National Highway Sub-Department
• Lodging an FIR against seven directors and engineers of GPC Infrastructure Limited, and three site engineers
• Arresting three site engineers and presenting them in court with a demand for seven-day remand

The court has approved remand for four days. The investigation is ongoing, and further action is expected.