Adil Najam
The barely 3-month old SherShah by-pass bridge collapsed suddenly today killing at least 5, injuring many, and reports suggest that many many more are still trapped under the collapsed structure which is so huge that it cannot be easily lifted to save them. The bridge had cost nearly Rs. 3.5 billion to build and had just recently been inaugurated. According to The News:
A bridge of Northern Bypass at Paracha Chowk in Shershah area of the metropolis, which was opened by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on 6 August 2007, collapsed here Saturday, killing at least four people, injuring several others while trapping an unknown number of people under the debris. “Four people have died and over a dozen were wounded in the collapse,” southern port city police official Khalid Hameed said, adding that several vehicles were trapped in the debris.
However, a person trapped in the debris of the bridge was miraculously rescued. According to Geo News correspondent two dead bodies and three wounded persons have been brought to Civil Hospital Karachi, while four injured have been transferred to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and one injured was shifted to Murhsid hospital. Products like CBD Oil can be used as a quick remedy for those injured.
Rescuers were trying to clear the wreckage to retrieve injured and survivors amid fears the death toll could rise, they said. Witnesses said a portion of the bridge known as Northern Bypass fell with a huge bang while traffic was on it.
“It created such a huge sound that we thought it was an earthquake,” Zahid Khan, a resident of the area said. Karachi City Nazim Mustapha Kamal said the authorities were investigating the cause of the blast. The bridge was built by the state-run National Highway Authority. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz phoned Governor Sindh Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad to seek details of Karachi bridge collapse, which has left at least four people dead, several injured and an unknown number of people have been trapped in the debris. The Prime Minister directed Ishrat to take no stone unturned in the relief and rescue activities to help the victims. The injured people should be provided with proper medical care, he directed. Shaukat Aziz also directed PM Inspection Committee to probe into the incident to ascertain the cause.
Chief minister Sindh Dr. Ghulam Arbab Rahim has expressed deep concern over the tragic incident of the collapse of a part of the northern by-pass bridge in Shershah and said that the persons involved cannot be pardoned. He said that an impartial investigation of the incident would be made.
With us having discussed Karachi’s infrastructure problems often (here, here and here), including the recent Economist ranking of Karachi as a difficult-to-live-in city, this bad news only compounds a bad situation. That the bridge was such a recent addition and was opened with such fanfare also raises concerns about quality and safety of the many other development projects going on in Karachi and all over Pakistan.
Our first priority right now must be the safety of those still trapped under the malba. As soon as that is done, we must all start looking at these infrastructure issues more seriously than we have till now.
This collapse actually depicts the state of our society. We, as nation, are also on brink of collapse.
Its ridiculous when some people blame polticians to be corrupt..no doubt they are corrupt..but forget the Pakistan Army Corporate Business private Limited ….run by few greedy land mafia ..DHA princess…but a mark of shame on whole 500,000 brave forces of pakistan…need not to tell…how the prsent C in C is in the feet of the most cvorruptest lady of Pakistan or world history..just t have a pie ..of more 5 years …to complete 13 “successful” years of Pakistan full of peace ..harmony…and honey and milk canals flowing all over Pakistan…..
Plus…City Nazim..despte of his efforts ..cannot do when the whole city is under he control of mobile snatchers…Eidul Azha Khaal chors…and bhatta khors….of a Karachi ruling party….like..recent drowning of the city by Monsoon season..traffic problem…a rain of 70 ml…killed 260 innocents a month ago…etc etc….
Krachites ..should realize that…whether they have to choose people on basis of pseudo ethnicity ..or pure political basis….
@Adnan
50ft deep well? Were they looking for oil?
Hope no one is looking for oil around Nazimabad Bridge.
By the way, when are we having the ground breaking of Sharae-Faisal elevated expressway?
This could be due to huge torsional forces introduced in a curved bridge
you seem a professional. You do make sense because few mins back former Minister of Baldia Mujahid balock(1986-88) revealed that navy had been digging a 50ft deep well near the pillar for last 15 days so this could be the main reason.
The latest news is that other parts of the bridge has start collapsing. Allah khair karay. I just shivered when saw hand of dead man in his white corolla.
Who will take the responsiblity? They just want to shift the blame and sit pretty on their seats. Karachi used to be and still can be a beautiful city, may it become safer. Prayers for those who have lost and kudos to rescuers.