Mangaluru mayor directs contractors to take safety measures after rider falls into pit

“I have directed the contractor to bear all medical expenses of the injured. The contractor also was asked to provide ten day’s wage/allowance as compensation to the injured. The vehicle was damaged and the cost of repair works will be reimbursed. Contractors should place warning signboards when digging roads to caution the public," the Mayor said.

Mangaluru: Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur on Monday directed contractors to follow all safety measures while digging roads to facilitate laying of water pipelines and other utilities in Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) limits.

Close on the heels of a two-wheeler rider suffering injuries after falling into a pit on a concrete road dug by a contractor at Valencia in Falnir ward on Sunday night, the Mayor said the concrete road was dug to repair leakage in a 600mm wide gravity pipeline.

"The pipeline was 35 years old, thus the road was dug to repair it. A barricade placed to warn motorists was knocked down by an auto rickshaw. The two-wheeler rider had failed to notice the pit due to heavy rains and poor visibility. The youth who fell into the pit is recuperating in a hospital and is out of danger," Mayor said.

“I have directed the contractor to bear all medical expenses of the injured. The contractor also was asked to provide ten day’s wage/allowance as compensation to the injured. The vehicle was damaged and the cost of repair works will be reimbursed. Contractors should place warning signboards when digging roads to caution the public," the Mayor added.

He further said, "I have directed officials to take all precautionary measures while carrying out any works in city limits and ensure that such accidents do not recur in future. Directions have also been given to engineers of Jalasiri 24x7 drinking water project to ensure all safety measures while carrying out the work.”