Odisha ends contract with firm after flyover collapse
Bhubaneswar, May 7: The Odisha government on Monday decided to annul a contract with Panda Infra Projects Ltd after a portion of a flyover under construction at Bomikhal here caved last week, killing a labourer.
"The government has decided to disengage Panda Infra Private Ltd from the construction of the Bomikhal flyover with immediate effect," said Works Department Secretary Nalinikanta Pradhan.
He said the government will initiate further legal action against the company after the department receives the final report on the collapse from an expert team.
"The company could not carry out the project work properly even after another mishap last year. An investigation by a third party will be conducted prior to the flyover inauguration," said Pradhan.
Pradhan said that the project's remaining work will be carried out by a new contractor within 2-3 months.
"A tender to complete the remaining project work will be either awarded to another contractor or may be taken up by the department itself. A final decision will be taken after considering all aspects and getting a detailed report," Pradhan added.
One labourer was killed and another sustained serious injuries when the flyover's portion collapsed on May 3 night. In September last year, a portion of the same flyover had collapsed, killing one person.
Company owner Pratap Kishore Panda was arrested in the case.
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Had a very good conversation with friend Modi: Trump
Washington (PTI): US President Donald Trump on Friday said he had a "very good conversation" with his "friend" Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He was referring to the talks the two leaders had on Tuesday.
"I had a very good talk with him, and he's a friend of mine from India, and he's doing great. We had a very good conversation," Trump told reporters here as he headed to Las Vegas to address a roundtable on tax cuts.
Trump had called Modi on Tuesday to discuss the bilateral relationship and share perspectives on the situation in West Asia, where the US and Israel have launched a war on Iran.
The US and Iran declared a two-week ceasefire on April 7. They engaged in peace talks with Washington, insisting that Tehran give up its pursuit of nuclear weapons and uranium enrichment.
The war with Iran has sent gas prices soaring as Tehran blocked the sea lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow gateway for a fifth of global oil supplies.
During the Trump-Modi phone call on Tuesday, the two leaders stressed the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure.
According to the US Ambassador to India Sergei Gor, the 40-minute conversation ended with Trump telling Modi, "we all love you".
Tuesday's phone call was the second between the two leaders since the US-Israel war with Iran began on February 28.
