An under-construction building at the Kannauj railway station collapsed on Saturday afternoon, trapping nearly two dozen workers under the rubble, officials reported. The incident resulted in 23 injuries, six of whom were rushed to hospital after being rescued.
The North Eastern Railway (NER) has set up a three-member committee to investigate the collapse. According to District Magistrate Shubhrant Kumar Shukl, the incident occurred when the under-construction shuttering of the roof gave way. “Our first priority is to rescue the workers who are trapped. We are using all resources at our disposal for the rescue efforts,” said Shukl, who was supervising the operation alongside other senior officials, as per news agency PTI.
The building was part of a new terminal construction project under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). Preliminary visuals showed chaotic scenes of dust, debris, and frantic rescue attempts as crowds gathered at the site.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Social Welfare Asim Arun stated that 20 of the injured workers sustained minor injuries, while three were grievously hurt. “The rescue operation is underway and will take a few more hours,” Arun informed reporters at the site. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed to assist in rescue efforts.
NER Chief Public Relations Officer Pankaj Kumar Singh confirmed the formation of a high-level investigative committee. The team includes the chief engineer (planning and design), the additional divisional railway manager of Izzatnagar, and the chief security commissioner of the Railway Protection Force. “The injured workers are receiving proper treatment at hospital. The ex-gratia amount for the injured workers has been increased, with Rs 50,000 for minor injuries and Rs 2.5 lakh for serious injuries,” Singh stated, as quoted by PTI.
A survivor, Mahesh Kumar, shared his ordeal: “As soon as the concrete was poured over the shuttering, it suddenly collapsed. Everyone on it fell. I was standing at the edge and managed to escape.”
Kannauj Railway Slab Collapse: UP CM Yogi Adityanath Orders Probe
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to prioritise the safe recovery of those trapped and ensure proper medical treatment. State Relief Commissioner Bhanu Chandra Goswami is coordinating with the Kannauj district administration for all necessary relief measures.
Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reacted to the development saying, “A very tragic incident has occurred, and immediate action has been taken against it. An inquiry committee has also been set up there.”
Samajwadi Party Chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav alleged that safety was neglected during the construction work.
“The incident that took place in Kannauj is very sad… Safety should have been maintained during the construction which was neglected and this incident took place…We hope that all the labourers are safe…This is a failure from the government side…We demand that the government should assure all the medical facilities and other facilities to all the victims,” he told ANI.
