PWD, APDCL trade blame after worker dies at under-construction Maharaj Prithu Flyover

Guwahati, August 28: A day after a worker died in an accident at the under-construction Maharaj Prithu Flyover, the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) and the Public Works Department (PWD) traded blame over the circumstances that led to the mishap.

A PWD official argued that limited shutdown hours from APDCL and the cramped working environment created unavoidable risks for workers.

"APDCL shuts down electricity from midnight to 5 am, but we had requested longer hours as overhead work is extremely risky," the official said, requesting anonymity.

He further added that workers often have to lift heavy steel structures in very narrow spaces between the flyover and the footpath, with vehicle movement adding to the difficulty.

The official added that while security manpower had already been increased, accidents like this highlighted how critical the situation is. “A loss of life cannot be ignored,” he stressed, noting that safety protocols and manpower at the site were being further strengthened.

Workers engaged in construction work of Maharaj Prithu flyover without any safety gear

Countering this claim, an APDCL official insisted that the accident was the result of contractors not following safety directives.

“We regularly shut down power at night until around 7 am to support construction. But we cannot extend beyond that because people need electricity during the day and evening, especially in summer," he said.

He claimed that the Corporation held meetings with PWD, the contractors and other stakeholders, directing them to avoid deploying workers near high-voltage wires when electricity is live.

"Unfortunately, when such instructions are not followed, tragedies occur. Proper precautions must be taken before sending workers overhead," he added.

The blame game followed an incident on Wednesday, when 35-year-old Zaher Ali of Mandia, Barpeta, came into contact with a live electrical wire while working on a pillar.

The shock caused him to fall, leaving him with grievous injuries. He was rushed to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where he succumbed to his injuries. Another worker, 38-year-old Jamal Ali, also from Mandia, suffered 15 per cent burn injuries and is currently undergoing treatment at GMCH.

This, however, is not the first such mishap at the site of the under-construction flyover. On May 17, a worker named Saiful was critically injured after being electrocuted at the under-construction Maharaj Prithu Flyover in Chandmari.

On May 17, another worker was critically injured after being electrocuted

Less than a month ago, on April 23, a woman was also electrocuted while navigating a waterlogged, debris-strewn stretch of road near the same project site.

These recurring incidents point to a deeper issue—insufficient safety measures at city construction sites, with locals noting that concerns extend beyond just the workers.

Dhruba Deka, a passerby, recalled a narrow escape near the site. “I was walking from Guwahati Club towards Chandmari when a 30cm rod suddenly fell just a few metres away. If I had been under the pillar, it could have hit my head. When I looked at the workers on the pillar, they seemed completely unaware,” Deka said.

The under construction Maharaj Prithu flyover

These back-to-back accidents have once again highlighted the lack of coordination between agencies and the inadequate safety measures at Guwahati’s major infrastructure projects. And as an onlooker bluntly puts it, “No matter how many people die, the work won’t stop... This has to go on.”