<p class="bodytext">The horrifying accident near Kogilu Cross in North Bengaluru, where a metro viaduct portion toppled from a truck and fatally crushed an auto-rickshaw driver highlights the dangerously inadequate safety standards adopted by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and its contractors. The conflicting accounts from BMRCL – citing a sudden swerve of the truck to avoid an oncoming vehicle – and the police, pointing to inadequate securing of the heavy viaduct, reveal a disturbing picture of neglect at multiple levels. This incident is not an isolated one. The memory of a woman and her young son killed by a falling girder cage in 2023 on Outer Ring Road remains fresh. Even more alarming is a staggering statistic revealed by an RTI query: at least 38 lives lost and over 50 injuries at metro construction sites since 2007. The apparent lack of accountability in the aftermath of these tragedies is deeply concerning as no substantial action was taken against BMRCL officers. These accidents, involving helpers, fitters, driers, riggers, and unskilled workers have been attributed to the negligence of contractors. The pattern of shifting responsibility exposes a systemic failure and an abdication of duty by the authorities.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The transportation of massive infrastructure components demands meticulous planning and execution. Load balancing, securing, and route-panning are of paramount importance. The police’s assertion that the viaduct was not properly secured points to a critical failure in adhering to established protocol. Oversized load transportation necessitates not only physical restraints but also involvement of highly trained personnel, including drivers aware of inherent risks. The lapse that claimed the auto driver’s life suggests failures across these fronts. Beyond transportation, construction site safety must be ensured through rigorous planning, quality control, and compliance with safety protocols. Placing barricades to protect civilians, adequate warning signage, and conducting regular, independent safety audits at every stage should be a non-negotiable part of infrastructure development. The success of countries such as Singapore, Japan, Sweden, and Germany, which have significantly reduced construction-related fatalities through stringent regulations, continuous inspections, advanced technology, and an ingrained culture of safety offers valuable lessons for Bengaluru. Safety, after all, is not limited to construction; it extends to every human interaction with infrastructure.</p>.<p class="bodytext">BMRCL’s response should go beyond reactive measures and offers of compensation. What Bengaluru needs is not only a robust metro system, but also its safe construction and operation. This can happen only when a culture of safety and accountability becomes the foundation of all work. Progress must not come at the cost of human lives.</p>
<p class="bodytext">The horrifying accident near Kogilu Cross in North Bengaluru, where a metro viaduct portion toppled from a truck and fatally crushed an auto-rickshaw driver highlights the dangerously inadequate safety standards adopted by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and its contractors. The conflicting accounts from BMRCL – citing a sudden swerve of the truck to avoid an oncoming vehicle – and the police, pointing to inadequate securing of the heavy viaduct, reveal a disturbing picture of neglect at multiple levels. This incident is not an isolated one. The memory of a woman and her young son killed by a falling girder cage in 2023 on Outer Ring Road remains fresh. Even more alarming is a staggering statistic revealed by an RTI query: at least 38 lives lost and over 50 injuries at metro construction sites since 2007. The apparent lack of accountability in the aftermath of these tragedies is deeply concerning as no substantial action was taken against BMRCL officers. These accidents, involving helpers, fitters, driers, riggers, and unskilled workers have been attributed to the negligence of contractors. The pattern of shifting responsibility exposes a systemic failure and an abdication of duty by the authorities.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The transportation of massive infrastructure components demands meticulous planning and execution. Load balancing, securing, and route-panning are of paramount importance. The police’s assertion that the viaduct was not properly secured points to a critical failure in adhering to established protocol. Oversized load transportation necessitates not only physical restraints but also involvement of highly trained personnel, including drivers aware of inherent risks. The lapse that claimed the auto driver’s life suggests failures across these fronts. Beyond transportation, construction site safety must be ensured through rigorous planning, quality control, and compliance with safety protocols. Placing barricades to protect civilians, adequate warning signage, and conducting regular, independent safety audits at every stage should be a non-negotiable part of infrastructure development. The success of countries such as Singapore, Japan, Sweden, and Germany, which have significantly reduced construction-related fatalities through stringent regulations, continuous inspections, advanced technology, and an ingrained culture of safety offers valuable lessons for Bengaluru. Safety, after all, is not limited to construction; it extends to every human interaction with infrastructure.</p>.<p class="bodytext">BMRCL’s response should go beyond reactive measures and offers of compensation. What Bengaluru needs is not only a robust metro system, but also its safe construction and operation. This can happen only when a culture of safety and accountability becomes the foundation of all work. Progress must not come at the cost of human lives.</p>