Mamata blames metro rail construction work for Kolkata bridge collapse

Kolkata, Sep 6: Even as the death toll in the Majerhat bridge collapse rose to three, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said metro rail construction work led to tremors in the area.

"Metro rail construction work was on in the area and locals have often felt tremors and complained about it. We are not overlooking any of the probable reasons for the collapse," Banerjee said.

"Strong action will be taken against those found guilty, no one will be spared," she said.

Incidentally, the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd, the implementing agency for the Metro Railway project, has maintained that there was "no relationship" between construction activity and collapse of the flyover.

Construction activity was completed "more than one year" back and preparatory work "away from the rail overbridge" was in progress.

"There is no relationship of Metro construction with this mid-span failure.... In fact condition of piers of both end are clear indication of that," AK Roy, Chief Project Manager, RVNL said.

The Kolkata Police on Thursday recovered one more body from the debris, taking the toll in the incident to three. Two days after the collapse of Majerhat Bridge in southern part of the city, rescue operation for missing people is still.