BILASPUR, May 26: Three labourers were killed while 25 were injured, with three of them seriously, when the second bailey bridge under construction at Ghamrola tributary, on the national highway caved in this morning. The dead have been identified as Sukhram, Ratna Ram and Saretan. The bridge was planned to be thrown open to traffic by the end of this month.Additional district magistrate P.S. Dahek along with a team of doctors and high ranking PWD officers immediately reached the site of accident and supervised the rescue operation. All the injured were rushed to district hospital here.Former state health minister and MLA Ram Lal Thakur, senior HVC leader Sadaram Thakur, were first to reach the hospital to enquire about the well-being of the injured. This part of national highway falls in Kotkehloor constituency, which is represented by Ram Lal Thakur.HP government has directed divisional commissioner, Shimla, to enquire into the cause of the collapse of the bridge.Public Works Minister Mohinder Singh today announced that one family member of each of the deceased would be given employment in the PWD, immediately. He announced an aid of Rs 1 lakh each to next of the kin of those died in the collapse. Mohinder Singh said the construction of the bridge would be undertaken on war footing and help of the Army would be sought if requiredof second bridge as well as entire work being carried out at the site since the collapse of RCC bridge at Ghamrola on March 15 last. This has been conveyed through a statement issued by the district president of the party, R.L. Soni, and general secretary of the party, Gopal Sharma, here today. Ram Lal Thkaur has also demanded an enquiry into the matter.
