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Kolkata Flyover Tragedy: Builder Calls It 'An Act Of God'

Kolkata Flyover Tragedy: Builder Calls It 'An Act Of God'
KOLKATA, INDIA - MARCH 31: (EDITORS NOTE: Image was created with a smartphone) A part of flyover collapsed on March 30, 2016 in Kolkata, India. At least two people were killed in Kolkata on Thursday and hundreds were feared trapped when an under-construction flyover collapsed onto traffic moving along the street below, police said. Fire-fighters and residents were trying to rescue those trapped under the wreckage of the metal-and-cement structure that came down near Girish Park in a teeming commercial district. (Photo by Hindustan Times)
Hindustan Times via Getty Images
KOLKATA, INDIA - MARCH 31: (EDITORS NOTE: Image was created with a smartphone) A part of flyover collapsed on March 30, 2016 in Kolkata, India. At least two people were killed in Kolkata on Thursday and hundreds were feared trapped when an under-construction flyover collapsed onto traffic moving along the street below, police said. Fire-fighters and residents were trying to rescue those trapped under the wreckage of the metal-and-cement structure that came down near Girish Park in a teeming commercial district. (Photo by Hindustan Times)

A senior official of the company that was constructing the flyover which collapsed killing 18 people and trapping at least a hundred under the debris in north Kolkata reacted to the tragedy by calling it ‘nothing but a god’s act’.

"It's nothing but a god's act. So far, in 27 years we have constructed several number of bridges...it (today's collapse) never happened," K Panduranga Rao, Group Head (HR & Admin) of the Hyderabad-based company said.

It is an act of god: 1st statement from builder IVRCL's KP Rao on #Kolkata flyover tragedy #IndiaWithKolkatahttps://t.co/1JmsvRHlQh

— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) March 31, 2016

Another company official denied any quality or technical issue as the cause behind the incident "as of now".

Two of IVRCL engineers are also missing from the site, Rao said, adding, searches are in progress to find them.

When asked about the reason for the collapse, Director (Operations), A G K Murty, said, "It's not due to any quality issue nor any technical issue, as of now".

Murty said that 70 per cent of work on construction of the flyover had been completed, and today 60th slab was being "done" (when it collapsed).

This has never happened before, we are also in shock: KP Rao, IVRCL Infrastructure company on #Kolkata bridge pic.twitter.com/QFG8W9iG1e

— ANI (@ANI_news) March 31, 2016

The two officials said the company would cooperate with government agencies.

"Whatever best possible, we will be doing. All the projects have their own insurance...whatever best possible, we will be doing for the people involved", Murty said.

"We are in deep shock. We at the management are also in shock...we are waiting for what's happened. We are checking," the officials added.

Shares of the company felled around 6% to end at Rs 6.40 on the BSE Ltd.

(With PTI inputs)

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.