Three construction workers died after a bridge under repair collapsed Friday evening in the Bantalab Thathar area of Jammu [1].
The incident raises questions regarding infrastructure safety and oversight in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly concerning the management of structures previously damaged by natural disasters.
The collapse occurred on the outskirts of Jammu in the Thathar area of Bantalab [2]. Rescue operations continued into Saturday as teams worked to pull survivors and victims from the rubble [3]. Emergency responders recovered three bodies from the site [1].
Reports on survivors vary. Some accounts said one worker was rescued alive [4], while other reports said two workers were rescued [5]. Similarly, the number of injured workers is reported as between one [3] and two [1].
The bridge had been damaged by flash floods the previous year and was undergoing repairs at the time of the collapse [6]. This history has led to scrutiny over why the bridge remained open to traffic despite its compromised state [6].
In response to the tragedy, the deputy chief minister ordered a formal investigation into the cause of the failure [1]. Government officials said they suspended the engineers responsible for the project pending the results of the probe [1].
“Three construction workers died after a bridge under repair collapsed Friday evening”
This collapse highlights a critical gap in safety protocols for damaged infrastructure. The fact that a bridge previously weakened by flash floods remained accessible or active during repairs suggests a failure in risk assessment and traffic management, potentially pointing to systemic negligence in regional construction oversight.
