CM orders blacklisting of contractor firm, suspension of two engineers

Four days after the girders of an under-construction bridge toppled in Banaskantha’s Palanpur leaving two persons dead, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel Thursday ordered strict punitive actions, including blacklisting the contractor firm, debarring the project management consultant (PMC) firm, and immediate suspension of two engineers associated with the project.

According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office on Thursday, Patel has instructed the Roads & Buildings department to blacklist GPC Infrastructure Limited, the contractor firm, which got the work order to build the railway overbridge. PMC Mcway Management Limited has also been ordered to be debarred.

The concerned assistant engineer and deputy executive engineer have also been ordered to be suspended with immediate effect, the release added.

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The CMO statement added that a three-member committee was constituted in connection with the incident that had visited the spot on the same day of the accident. Samples of concrete and steel have been sent for testing.

The girders that fell from the under-construction bridge have also been examined. Results of the test are expected shortly.