Mayor Directs Contractor to bear Medical Expenses of 2-Wheeler Rider who Fell into a Pit

Mangaluru City Corporation Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur Directs the Contractor to Bear the Medical Expenses of a 2-wheeler Rider who Fell into a Pit in the construction zone on Valencia Road near Fatima Retreat House

Mangaluru: One thing for sure in Mangaluru, when it comes to the safety of the motorists, neither the officials of PWD, Mangaluru City Corporation nor Mangaluru Smart City Ltd (MSCL) during the road construction or drainage/UGD works undertaken, none of them follow the safety standards that are applicable at a construction zone, like providing proper barricading, safety/warning signs et. Their action comes only when an accident takes place when the victim dies or gets seriously injured. And here is an incident where mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur has directed the contractor concerned to bear all medical expenses of a two-wheeler rider who was injured after falling into a pit at a construction zone on Valencia Road near Fatima Retreat House on Sunday, 6 November.

Thirty-year-old Vineeth Raj of Adyar-Kannur was injured after his two-wheeler fell into a trench dug up by the Mangaluru City Corporation to repair the main water supply. Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur, who visited the spot said that a portion of the road was dug up on 2 November 2023 to plug the water leakage on 600 mm dia pipeline supplying water to Mangaladevi areas. The work ended on Saturday. The trench was kept open on Sunday to observe if there was any more leakage. A barricade was placed around the trench. However, the barricade was placed in a slanted angle thus exposing a part of the trench. As it was raining on Sunday evening the motorist did not notice the barricade and fell.

The Dug Up Pit (now closed with mud/jelly) where the 2-wheeler fell and got injured

The injured Mr Raj, undergoing treatment at a hospital, has been advised to rest for 10 days. “I have asked the contractor to bear the treatment cost and also compensate the motorist for loss of work for 10 days. No case has been registered with the police, added the Mayor. After the Mayor visited the spot, the contractor closed the trench with mud and Jellystone powder. Falnir ward councillor and former Mayor Jacintha Vijaya Alfred, who was with the Mayor, expressed concern over similar improperly covered trenches dug up for water supply on the stretch between Father Muller Hospital and Koti Chennaya Circle on the same road.

Kannur directed officials to ensure that barricades are properly placed and necessary cautionary sign boards are installed at places where water supply and other works are being carried out by cutting the roads. The Mayor asked KUIDFC officials to complete the water supply project works near Father Muller Hospital in a couple of days. Kankanady Valencia councillor Sandeep and Markada Councillor Lohith Amin accompanied the Mayor. MCC Executive Engineer Naresh Shenoy and other officials were present.

Apart from medical expenses, the contractor has also been asked to provide ten days’ wage/ allowance as compensation to the injured person and compensate for the damage to his vehicle too. If you look around the City, no safety measures are followed by the contractor or the workers, thereby putting the lives of motorists and pedestrians at risk. Contractors should put barricades, caution belts and warning sign boards while digging roads in the city. Officials of the MCC have been directed to take appropriate action to prevent such accidents in future. Directions have also been given to engineers of Jalasiri 24×7 drinking water project to ensure all safety measures while taking up works,” the mayor said.