Delhi-Dehradun Expressway Mishap: Pillar collapses near Meerut, two injured

A pillar of the under-construction ₹12,000 crore Delhi-Dehradun Expressway collapsed in Deoband near Meerut, injuring two workers. The incident occurred on Sunday in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district when a concrete girder fell while being shifted using a machine, police said.

The two labourers suffered injuries to their legs, and one of them fractured his leg, Deoband Circle Officer Ravikant Parashar told PTI. "According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials, no one is trapped under the pillar but even then we are checking," he said.

Narendra Singh, Project Director at NHAI, said the incident took place during the construction of a flyover on the Deoband Canal, a part of the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor Project. A 15-day canal closure had been approved from 13 March, during which girder launching was scheduled for 23 March.


During this process, the string wire of the crane broke, causing one girder to fall, bringing down four others, Singh said. "It is clear from this that this incident has happened technically due to failure of the crane's string wire and not due to any deficiency in the quality of the girders," he added.

He also said the contractor had already arranged for traffic diversions, preventing further casualties. "Two labourers have received minor injuries at the spot, whose treatment is being done by the contractor at his own expense," Singh said.

In response to the collapse, NHAI Headquarters in New Delhi has formed an expert committee to investigate the technical causes of the incident. The committee will visit the site and submit a detailed report to the authority.

The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway is a landmark infrastructure project aimed at revolutionising travel between the two cities. With features such as foot-over bridges, underpasses, and elevated sections, the expressway is set to offer a safer, faster, and more seamless commuting experience.

(Wih inputs from PTI)