A tragic accident during a road expansion project in Uttar Pradesh's Chandauli district has claimed the life of a construction worker and left another severely injured. The incident occurred late at night in the bustling Mughal Sarai market area when a portion of a Kali temple, which was being cleared as part of the Grand Trunk (GT) Road widening project, suddenly collapsed. Two people were trapped under the heavy debris and rushed to a nearby medical facility, where one of them was declared dead on arrival. The mishap has triggered immense public anger and raised major questions regarding the safety protocols followed during such high-risk demolition activities.
How the Demolition Turned Fatal
The unfortunate event took place in the jurisdiction of the Mughal Sarai Kotwali police station, right in front of the entry gate of the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU) Junction railway station. To facilitate the widening of the busy highway, a Kali temple located along the road had been earmarked for removal. Prior to the demolition, the idol of Goddess Kali had been carefully uninstalled and relocated to a new designated site with due reverence. Following this, workers employed by Appco, the private construction firm contracted for the road project, began dismantling the structure and clearing the site using heavy machinery like a JCB.
During the late-night operation, as the JCB was clearing the concrete structures, a massive portion of the debris unexpectedly caved in. Two individuals standing close to the machine were buried under the falling concrete. Colleagues and onlookers immediately rushed to rescue them from the pile of rubble. Both victims were quickly pulled out and transported to the hospital. Unfortunately, doctors declared Baldev Yadav, a resident of Bahadurpur village who worked as a laborer for Appco, dead upon arrival. The second injured person is currently fighting for survival under medical supervision.
Allegations of Negligence and Lack of Safety Measures
Eyewitnesses and local residents have expressed deep resentment over the manner in which the demolition was conducted. They pointed out that neither the Public Works Department (PWD) nor the private contracting agency took basic precautionary measures. Despite executing a hazardous demolition on a major route, traffic on the GT Road was not halted or diverted, nor was any barricading set up to keep onlookers and workers at a safe distance. This lack of oversight and blatant disregard for standard safety procedures by the authorities and the construction firm are being widely blamed for the loss of a precious life.
Administrative Response and Probe Initiated
While local administration and police officials initially hesitated to speak on camera, PDDU Nagar SDM Rajiv Saxena later confirmed the death of the laborer. The SDM stated that a formal inquiry has been ordered into the entire sequence of events. He assured that a detailed investigation report will be prepared, and strict legal action will be taken against anyone found guilty of negligence, whether from the construction company or the monitoring departments. Local citizens remain highly agitated, demanding accountability and fair compensation for the family of the deceased worker.
