Storm Strikes at 3 AM: Hamirpur's Unfinished Bridge Becomes a Death Trap

Hamirpur : A night of relentless rain and ferocious winds turned catastrophic for construction workers in Uttar Pradesh's Hamirpur district, as an under-construction bridge over the Betwa River crumbled in the early hours of Friday, claiming at least six lives and leaving several others injured.

The grim incident unfolded around 3 am between Parsani and Kandaur villages, where labourers engaged in bridge construction work were sleeping on the upper portion of a slab when it suddenly gave way. The slab, pier, and scaffolding structure caved in amid violent winds, with several workers present beneath the structure at the time of the collapse.

The bridge was being built over the Betwa River between Morakandar and Kandaur villages, and its collapse triggered a massive rescue operation while raising serious questions over construction safety standards at the site.

Hamirpur District Magistrate Abhishek Goyal confirmed that the bridge construction had been carried out by a private company over the past two years. He noted that the India Meteorological Department and district administration had issued warnings on Thursday evening about strong winds, storms, and rainfall, and announcements had been made in villages to alert residents and workers.

An urgent rescue operation was launched involving SDRF teams, police, and district authorities, with emergency personnel reaching the site soon after the collapse was reported.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed deep grief over the tragedy and directed officials to intensify rescue and relief efforts. He also announced compensation for the victims' families.

The deceased include young labourers, among them Lokendra (22) and Kuldeep Nishad (19), highlighting the tragic human cost borne by migrant workers on infrastructure projects. Authorities have launched an inquiry into whether adequate structural and safety safeguards were in place during the storm, as the nation once again confronts the dire consequences of construction negligence.