Beam of bridge under construction collapses
Though there were dozens of labourers at the site when the mishap took place, no one was injured as they were moved away in time.
According to Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) officials, the collapse happened during the casting of the bridge's 20th beam. A pipe pumping concrete to the casting area got blocked and when pressure was increased, it jerked violently, destabilizing the temporary girder supporting the wooden block frame, causing it to slip.
"The casting had just begun and only 2 cubic metres of concrete had been poured. The engineers got time to move the laborers away," an official said.
A person who was managing the pump operations sustained minor injuries after the incident.
The Rs 23 crore bridge construction works launched in 2023 was being carried out under the supervision of KRFB by contracting firm PMR Constructions using KIIFB funds. The bridge connects Chemancheri and Atholi panchayats.
PWD minister P A Mohamed Riyas said he has sought a report from KRFB and promised stern action against those responsible.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
The Most Beautiful Women In The World
5minstory.com
Undo
Locals alleged negligence by both the contractor and supervising officials.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan said that the collapse of the bridge was the third under construction bridge to collapse in the state in recent times. He asked whether those who pursued legal action against former PWD minister V K Ebrahim Kunju over the Palarivattom bridge would also seek a case against the current minister in light of repeated failures.
Stay updated with the latest local news from your
city
on
Times of India
(TOI). Check upcoming
bank holidays
,
public holidays
, and current
gold rates
and
silver prices
in your area.
Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with
Happy Independence Day wishes
,
messages
, and
quotes
!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
13 minutes ago
- Indian Express
79th Independence Day: CM Manik Saha says Tripura's GDP rose by over 12%, urges youth to unleash passion for Viksit Bharat
Recalling the martyrs of India's freedom struggle, Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Friday highlighted the different initiatives adopted by his government in different sectors, including law and order, agriculture, education, employment, etc, and urged youths to pursue their passion for Viksit Bharat. He said Tripura has seen significant economic development in recent years, with over 12 per cent hike in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) last fiscal, catapulting the state to second position in the North East region. 'On this 79th Independence Day, let's ignite our souls with the heroic valour of Operation Sindoor, where our bravehearts redefined courage. I appeal to the Youths to unleash your passion for a #ViksitBharat & New India—fuel nationalism, dream big, and shape a glorious future,' CM Saha wrote on X. 'Tripura's economy is mainly based on agriculture. Last year, some initiatives were taken by the government for farmers' development', said CM. While detailing about the initiatives, he said that the state government spent Rs 15 crore under Mukhyamantri Integrates Crop Management to expand 92,588 hectares area for rice cultivation, brought another 20,161 hectares area under organic farming, distributed 11,444 agricultural equipment among farmers and 35,661 soil health cards, disbursed Rs 450 crore as farmers' loan under Kisan credit card scheme, provided Rs 201 crore to 2.38 lakh farmers directly in their bank accounts till this August under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. He said his government provided Rs 109.34 crore to over 2.13 lakh farmers who were affected by the flood last year. Around 25,000 farmers were enrolled for Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, and the state government provided Rs 32.75 crore as assistance and subsidy under Mukhyamantri Fasal Bima Yojana in the 2020-21 fiscal. In the dairy and poultry sectors, the state produced over 2.47 lakh tonnes of milk, 59,700 tonnes of meat, and 36 crore eggs in the 2023-24 fiscal year. During the period, the state produced 85,800 metric tonnes of fish and 45.65 crore fish fingerlings that helped the state to attain self-sufficiency in fish production and export fish to neighbouring states. 'Tripura has topped in egg production and second in meat and milk production in the Northeast Region. Tripura is in the second position in fish production in the region,' said the CM. CM Saha highlighted that the crime rate in the state declined last year, with 19.4 per cent fewer crimes than the cases in 2023 and 12.35 per cent fewer crime cases in the first five months this year compared to 2024. The state also achieved success in combating drugs, as records showed a 106 per cent rise in the seizure of drugs and other narcotic items last year. The officials also destroyed a massive amount of drugs during the period, a rise of 132 per cent, he said. Highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for Atmanirbhar Bharat, CM Saha stated that it was not only a mere slogan but a resolution for 140 crores Indians to become self-reliant. The CM emphasised the need to push for Swadeshi products, saying that the Tripura government launched 'Vocal for Local' to prioritise the state-produced products. Saha said that the state is focusing on the indigenous people's overall development by implementing several schemes for their socio-economic development. The state would launch the 'Super 100' programme under the Mukhyamantri Janajati Unnayan Mission to impart training to the meritorious students, he added. In the tourism sector, CM Saha stated that different facelift works for Chaturdash Devata temple, Chhabimura, Kasba Kalibari, etc., are in progress. The chief minister said the government filled up 19,765 regular posts at different departments since 2018. Former Tripura Chief Minister and Lok Sabha MP Biplab Kumar Deb hoisted the national Tricolor at his residence in Agartala and celebrated the day by donating blood at Amarpur in Gomati district, interacting with security personnel, and visiting Shantikali Ashram in the area. Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma, who was elected from Asharambari in Khowai district, took part in the Independence Day celebrations in the district. Recounting Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Sardar Ballabhbhai Patel, and others who struggled for the Independence of the nation, Debbarma said that Independence isn't a gift, but a duty to ensure that people can live together with equal rights everywhere in the country. Chef Whip Kalyani Roy, while taking part in the celebrations at Teliamura, said that the motto of this Independence Day is 'New India' and said the spirit of freedom is not about anecdotes of the past alone, but a vision for the future as well. At Udaipur in Gomati district, Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy joined the celebrations at Udaipur Sports Complex. He paid homage to the brave freedom fighters who made a supreme sacrifice in the struggle for Independence. 'Independence Day is a Red-Letter day for all of us. We should never forget that our nation got freedom due to the sacrifices of our freedom fighters,' he said. Social Welfare Minister Tinku Roy joined the Independence Day celebrations at Unakoti district and said the central and state governments in Tripura are working to develop education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, employment, and other crucial sectors to fulfill the dreams of freedom fighters. Meanwhile, in a sharp critique of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress MLA and veteran legislator Gopal Chandra Roy said, 'The BJP was born in 1980. Before that, there was the Jana Sangh and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). They had no role in the nationalist movement. The BJP was not there. The BJP and VHP had sided with the British; they were 'Razakars' (pro-Pakistani activists who were active in different parts of India before the Independence). They never participated in the Independence movement. The Congress, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, fought against the British, and eventually, the British had to flee'. The Opposition CPI(M) celebrated the day by hosting the Tricolor at the Communist Party headquarters in Agartala, which was attended by former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, Opposition Leader and politburo member Jitendra Chaudhury, and former deputy speaker Pabitra Kar. 'Democracy in the country is under attack. There is a concerted conspiracy to destroy secularism and change the Constitution itself. The working class, which comprises more than 75 per cent of the population, is still struggling to make ends meet. All democratic people of the country need to unite today and work towards developing these sectors, fight against communalism, and develop democracy, secularism. Only then, the spirit of Independence would be honoured,' Manik Sarkar said after joining a voluntary blood donation camp in Agartala. Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and former minister Sudip Roy Barman joined the Independence Day celebrations. He reminded that it was the Congress that had struggled to free India from British colonialism. 'The freedom fighters belonged to the Congress party. We are soldiers of the same party. Even today, the Congress party is struggling to protect the rights of Indians under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi,' he said.
Time of India
13 minutes ago
- Time of India
India building commercial silicon fab with 50,000 per month wafer production capacity: Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills India is building a commercial-scale silicon-based fabrication facility (fab) that will churn out 50,000 wafer starts per month, even as such fabs usually operate at 20,000-40,000 wafer starts per month, electronics and information technology (IT) minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on minister was referring to the Rs 91,000 crore fab being built by Tata Electronics in Gujarat's Dholera, which was approved in February last semiconductor manufacturing, a wafer is a thin, circular slice of a crystalline semiconductor material, most commonly silicon, upon which integrated circuits are fabricated."Six semiconductor units, one fab and five Assembly, Testing, Marking, and Packaging units, are at different stages of planning, construction and execution. Four more (one silicon carbide fab and three ATMP including the most advanced packaging unit) were approved last week. The entire ecosystem - design, fabrication, packaging, equipment, chemicals, gases - taking shape in Bharat," Vaishnaw said in a post on social media platform of the largest equipment manufacturers—Applied Materials and Lam Research—are setting up their design, production, and validation facilities in the country, he comments came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his Independence Day speech that while the first proposal to set up a semiconductor factory in India got killed 60 years back, the country will finally get semiconductor chips that are 'Made in India' and 'Made by Indians' before the year is on the PM's statement, Vaishnaw said semiconductor industry pioneer Robert Noyce had come to India to set up a plant in 1964, but the erstwhile Permit Raj implemented by the ruling Congress Party back then did not allow him to. Royce then moved to Hong Kong and founded global tech major Intel Corporation , Vaishnaw claimed in his "the Mayor of Silicon Valley," Robert Noyce was an American physicist and entrepreneur who co-founded Fairchild Semiconductor in 1957 and Intel Corporation in 1968. Fairchild Semiconductor was a pioneer in the manufacturing of transistors and of integrated circuits, while Intel created the world's first commercial microprocessor chip—the Intel 4004—in 1971. Both companies were founded and incorporated in minister also pointed out that Intel had once again tried to set up a semiconductor unit in India in 2005-06. "Once again, it was not allowed because of the policy paralysis of the UPA regime," Vaishnaw said, questioning Congress General Secretary and Member of Parliament Jairam Ramesh on it. Earlier in the day, Ramesh had posted on X that the Semiconductors Complex Ltd (SCL) was established in Chandigarh during the Congress regime, starting operations in Vaishnaw argued that despite being established so many years back, SCL, Mohali, continues to work at just a lab scale.
Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
The art of no deal: How Trump and Putin will measure 'success' in Alaska talks; what's at stake
Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin US President Donald Trump will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Saturday for a summit that could shape both the course of the war in Ukraine and the fate of European security. For Trump, the face-to-face offers a stage to demonstrate his image as a skilled negotiator and peacemaker, a role he has long claimed he could play to quickly end the conflict. For Putin, it is a rare chance to push for a deal that locks in Russia's war gains, keeps Ukraine out of Nato, and eventually draws Kyiv back into Moscow's sphere of influence. The meeting carries high risks for Trump. Hosting Putin on US soil gives the Russian leader the recognition he has sought since being shunned over the 2022 invasion. By leaving out Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump also deals a heavy blow to the West's policy of 'nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine' and invites the possibility that he could agree to a deal that Ukraine does not want. So, how will both leaders measure success from the summit? Different goals for Trump and Putin Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will measure success at their summit in Alaska very differently, even as both leaders are looking toward a possible second meeting. The public expectation may be that both leaders are there to strike a breakthrough deal. But the reality is more complex, and for both leaders, "success" may not necessarily involve signing any formal agreement. The US president sees any form of ceasefire in Ukraine as a key objective of the talks. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 11 Foods That Help In Healing Knee Pain Naturally Undo For Putin, simply meeting Trump on American soil without making territorial concessions on the war is already a gain. These are the contrasting stakes as both leaders head to Anchorage for their first summit since 2018 in Helsinki. This gap in objectives shows both the opportunities and risks for Trump. It also explains why the meeting is seen as a first step, with both sides already discussing the possibility of a second summit. However, Putin has little reason to stop the fighting as Russia's military continues to advance in Ukraine, but he also cannot risk alienating a president with whom he has maintained a long relationship. Putin's 2022 invasion of Ukraine started Europe's largest war in 80 years and turned him into an international pariah. The summit gives him a chance to challenge the isolation imposed by the US and its G7 allies over his actions. The venue itself — Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a US military base — gives Putin a symbolic advantage, as it is on American soil. The meeting also marks a departure from former US president Joe Biden's approach of "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine," a policy that ensured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was part of any major talks. While Trump spoke to Zelenskyy earlier this week, the one-on-one with Putin reflects his belief that he — and not Ukraine — is central to ending the conflict. "Russia wants to continue to pursue its objectives, which are to dramatically weaken Ukraine and essentially undermine its independence and sovereignty," Richard Haass, a former senior State Department official, said in an interview, as quoted by Bloomberg. "So Russia sees negotiations not as an alternative to that, but as a means toward that end." Lowered expectations The White House has sought to play down expectations for the meeting. Trump has called it a "feel-out meeting," and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described it as "a listening exercise for the president." Trump is already looking to a possible second summit involving Zelenskyy and European leaders, which he expects would be "more productive than the first." The Kremlin has invited Trump to visit Russia next. This is a change from Trump's earlier claim on the campaign trail that he could end the war within a day of taking office. In May, US secretary of state Marco Rubio said it was "abundantly clear" that a breakthrough was only possible with the involvement of Trump and Putin. One possible outcome could be an agreement to halt the fighting temporarily or partially, such as stopping Russian air strikes. Trump could also back Putin's proposal to take Ukrainian territory already under Russian control. It is also possible that no agreement will be reached, similar to Trump's 2019 talks with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, which ended without a deal. For Putin, the meeting is an opportunity to exploit divisions between the US and Europe and seek relief from sanctions that have slowed Russia's economy. Who else is attending? Trump will be joined by vice president JD Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Vance has played an important role in shaping the US stance and in talks with Russia. Putin will be accompanied by foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, along with Russia's defense and finance ministers, suggesting a focus on possible economic cooperation — an area Trump is interested in. The two leaders are expected to meet alone before joining their delegations for lunch. A joint press conference will follow. This raises the possibility of a repeat of the 2018 Helsinki news conference, where Trump sided with Putin over US intelligence assessments on Russian interference in the 2016 election — a situation Trump will aim to avoid. Ahead of the summit, Trump told European leaders that he would not negotiate new borders for Ukraine and would push for direct talks between Putin and Zelenskyy. He also indicated support for security guarantees for Ukraine.
