Kasaragod: The Communist Party of India (CPI), a constituent of the ruling LDF government, has demanded a comprehensive and joint investigation by the State and Union governments into the collapse of a bridge under construction on NH 66 in Kasaragod's Pullur village.

The falling of a girder (concrete beam) placed on the pier four months ago is a matter of concern, said the party's Kasaragod District Council in a statement released on Thursday, May 9. Wednesday evening, when the girder fell, the workers were working on the other side, so there were no casualties. In October 2022, a vehicle underpass under construction collapsed in Periya, 5 km away, it said.

"This shows a defect in the construction and lack of necessary supervision," the CPI said and added that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the concessionaire, Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Limited (MEIL), are responsible for this. "People are worried that if it goes like this, it will affect the safety of the national highway itself," the CPI said in its resolution.

The CPI meeting was attended by party state assistant secretary E Chandrasekaran, district secretary C P Babu, assistant secretary M Asinar, state councillors T Krishnan and Adv. Govindan Pallikappil among others.