Construction safety under scrutiny after fatal crane accident in Tirupati

Tirupati: Questions over construction safety and municipal supervision have come to the fore in Tirupati following the death of three workers in a crane accident at a hotel construction site on DBR Road, prompting the Municipal Corporation to suspend two town planning officials.

Municipal Commissioner M Jaya Krishna said the action was taken after a preliminary inquiry found lapses in monitoring the construction activity.

He said a detailed and transparent inquiry would be conducted by senior officials to determine the circumstances leading to the accident and fix responsibility. The accident occurred on Tuesday near Sri Convention Centre when a crane tilted while lifting a large tree and fell into a deep foundation pit. The crane and tree trapped workers inside the excavation, killing three and injuring three others.

The construction site is located between the Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Municipal Corporation Government School and Sri Convention Centre.

Excavation for basement construction had reportedly reached a depth of 34 to 40 feet, raising concerns over the safety of the adjoining school and the monitoring of the work.

A portion of the school compound wall was reportedly damaged during the excavation, while residents had allegedly raised concerns over the construction activity. The inquiry will examine whether the excavation was adequately supervised and whether the damage to the school premises was inspected by the authorities.

The Commissioner has directed engineering officials to assess the structural condition of the municipal school building and submit a detailed report.

The inquiry is also expected to examine reports of rock removal at the site and establish whether any blasting was carried out. If blasting took place, officials will verify whether the required permissions were obtained. No conclusion has been reached on the issue pending verification.

Police said the crane lost balance while lifting the tree after it could not bear the load, causing it to plunge into the foundation pit.

Officials will also examine the permissions obtained for construction activities near the school, the monitoring of the excavation and the circumstances under which the crane was allowed to enter the school premises. Jaya Krishna said strict action would be taken against officials or staff found responsible for lapses. He also warned builders against undertaking construction without mandatory permissions or violating prescribed safety and building regulations.

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Pradeep Vennelakanti

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