Published on Sun, Sep 09, 2007 at 21:19 , Updated at Mon, Sep 10, 2007 in Nation section
Hyderabad: Around 30 people were feared dead and another 20 injured after an under-construction flyover collapsed in Hyderabad's busy Panajagutta area late Sunday evening.
The flyover had been under-construction for the past one year, and was to be inaugurated this December.
Sources told CNN-IBN that the number of dead could be 30 at the city’s NIMS Hospital and Apollo Hospital, by late Sunday night.
Four injured were taken to the city's Apollo Hospital. After hours of cutting through the concrete slabs, only two bodies had been recovered from the debris by 23:00 hours IST. A total of nine vehicles were still trapped out of which, 3 were autorickshaws and 9 cars.
DCP West Zone Madhusudhan Reddy, who was at the spot when the flyover gave way said, the death toll could rise because a number of rescued people could not be taken to the hospital immediately due to the massive traffic jam that followed.
“I was in the vicinity when the flyover collapsed. I was baffled to see the huge concrete beam falling down on a car. The death toll may rise because we can see a number of vehicles trapped under the debris,” said DCP West Zone Madhusudhan Reddy.
Police had to lathi charge to disperse the crowd.
“Ambulances have been called. The death count may rise because there are a number of vehicles trapped under the debris. Gas cutting machines have been called to clear the chunks of concrete,” said Police Commissioner of Hyderabad, Balwinder Singh.
The flyover, according to sources, collapsed because its construction was not of good quality, which could not stand the rains.
Also a major concern for the authorities was the damaged part of the flyover, which is still barely standing and may fall down anytime soon unless it is demolished properly using cranes and bulldozers.
Though Chief Minister Y S Rajashekar Reddy rushed to the spot, excessive crowding forced him to return. The police had to divert the traffic from the busy commercial area.
Punjagutta is an important commercial & residential area in Hyderabad, India. The shopping mall, Hyderabad Central is located here. It is also a major transit point for traffic going towards Ameerpet (a commercial hub) and S R Nagar (residential area).
At least 20 people have died and 20 more are injured after a partially constructed flyover (overpass) in Hyderabad, India collapsed onto traffic.

The disaster occurred at the Panjagutta junction, near Nagarjuna Circle. Two large concrete sections dropped onto oncoming cars and motorised rickshaws, damaging several severely.

A large emergency effort was immediately activated, but experienced severe difficulties in reaching the site due to congested traffic resulting from the collapse. Ambulances from the 108 EMRI Service and Appollo Hospitals attended the scene, and rushed the injured to a variety of nearby hospitals. All the region's major hospitals, particularly the nearby Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences, have placed their medical staff on emergency alert. Rescuers are now using cranes and cutting equipment in an effort to reach anyone who may still be trapped. It is expected that the death toll could rise further as many vehicles remain trapped under tons of debris.

Various politicians also attended the scene, including the local district collector, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy, Senior Congress Leader and MLA from Khairathabad P Janardhan Reddy and several other ministers.

Police have asked both the public and the press to keep away from the area, in order to prevent further collapse of the unstable structure. Preliminary investigations suggest the flyover had been been poorly constructed. The construction project had been carried out by leading contractor Gammon India Limited. It had been delayed, the original foundations having been built in 2005. After a successful request by the company to have the deadline for the project extended, work was slated to cease in November of this year, with the flyover entering operation by December. It is believed heavy rains in the area a few hours prior to the collapse may have contributed to the disaster.