Patna Metro Accident: CPIML-AICCTU Intervention Forces Company to Take Action
Following pressure from CPIML MLC Shashi Yadav and AICCTU leader Ranjivay Kumar, the company and administration responsible for the Patna Metro project have agreed to hold talks with the aggrieved workers after a tragic accident at the metro construction site on October 29.
The discussions, which lasted several hours, resulted in a written agreement. The company admitted its failure to notify the families of the deceased workers promptly. The talks centered on providing jobs to the families of the deceased, pensions for widows, compensation, and medical treatment for the injured. CPIML and AICCTU leaders emphasized that the Bihar government’s Labour Department must ensure strict enforcement of safety standards and labor laws at all Metro construction sites.
On Monday night, three workers were killed and eight others were injured after the brakes of a loco pickup failed at the Patna Metro construction site near the exit of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) and the eastern side of Patna Science College. Following the accident, the workers went on strike, demanding compensation and proper safety audits.
CPIML has demanded that a complete list of all workers employed on the Patna Metro project be displayed at the project’s headquarters. Additionally, they called for the critically injured worker, Shyam Ram, to be immediately transferred to AIIMS for better treatment.
Comrades Shashi Yadav and Ranjivay Kumar met with the workers soon after the accident. They gathered detailed information about the incident after meeting with Shyam Ram, his co-workers, and his wife, Pooja Kumari.
The leaders noted that a preliminary investigation indicates that safety protocols were disregarded, and despite workers’ warnings, the work continued, leading to the tragic incident. They demanded an independent investigation into the accident by an external agency.
CPI(ML)-AICCTU is calling for compensation of Rs. 50 lakhs for each deceased worker’s family, lifelong pensions for the widows, and guaranteed employment for a family member in the Patna Metro project. They also urged the Labour Department to publicly release a complete list of all workers involved in the Metro construction.
