Portion of Gokulpuri Metro Station collapses, one dies
New Delhi (PTI): A 53-year-old man died on Thursday when a portion of the Gokulpuri Metro Station on the Pink Line in northeast Delhi collapsed, police said.
The man was on his scooter when he came under the debris of the collapsed wall of the elevated station platform.
The deceased was identified as Vinod Kumar by police, a resident of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Colony of nearby Karawal Nagar area.
According to police, four more people sustained injuries in the incident and are undergoing treatment at GTB Hospital in Dilshad Garden. Two motor cycles and two scooters were damaged in the collapse.
The incident took place at 11 am when a boundary wall (Eastern side) of the elevated platform and part of a slab fell on the road below, according to a police officer. Some portion of the slab is still hanging.
The Pink Line metro runs between Majlis Park and Shiv Vihar metro stations.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast Delhi) Joy Tirkey said as the Gokulpuri Police Station is located next to the metro station, the local staff including the Station House Officer rushed to the spot soon after the incident.
"Four persons were injured due to the collapse. Our staff with the help of locals and officials of fire departments pulled them out of the debris and rushed to them GTB hospital," Tirkey had earlier said.
Tirkey said that about 40-50 metres of the wall along with the slab collapsed.
Several video clips of the incident shot on mobile phones by passersby also emerged on the social media, showing policemen removing the rubble of the collapsed portion from road and part of a ledge hanging precariously.
A Delhi Fire Service (DFS) official said the collapse was reported at 11.10 am and four fire tenders were immediately pressed into service.
Assistant Divisional Officer (DFS) CL Meena said two persons were rescued by the Delhi police while two others were taken out by the fire officials.
He said the area on the road has been cordoned off till the hanging portion of the slab be removed.
A police officer said the metro station has been shut for now. An inspection will be conducted the team of experts before a repair work can be carried ut.
A case under relevant sections of law will be registered in this matter, police said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
