Girder Launcher Collapses in Gujarat Bullet train project site, one killed, six injured

Ahmedabad (Gujarat), August 3, 2023: A tragic incident unfolded today as one worker lost his life, and six others suffered injuries when a girder launcher collapsed during the construction of a high-speed rail corridor for the upcoming bullet train project near Karjan town in Gujarat’s Vadodara district.

The unfortunate event occurred near Kambola village during the morning hours.

This mishap comes merely two days after a similar incident in neighboring Maharashtra, where a girder launcher collapse claimed the lives of 20 individuals, including ten laborers, during the construction of a viaduct for the Samruddhi Expressway in Thane district on Tuesday.

Karjan MLA Akshay Patel, who rushed to the site after the incident, revealed, “Construction work for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor is currently underway at Kambola village of Karjan taluka. Due to some technical issues, a girder launcher fell on workers.”

Out of the seven workers caught under the metal structure, tragically, one lost his life on the spot, while the others were successfully rescued and promptly taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The local fire brigade and police immediately responded to the situation and launched a rescue operation to assist the workers in distress.

The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), responsible for executing the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor, issued a statement, clarifying the sequence of events leading to the accident. “One worker, who was trying to check the wheelbase, got trapped and died. Six other workers, who suffered minor injuries, were admitted to a nearby hospital. NHSRCL senior officials have already reached the site,” the statement said.

According to NHSRCL, the girder launcher, which had completed 14 km of girder launching, had reached its new launching location near Vadodara. During the unloading process from the girder transporter, a technical glitch resulted in the front support’s wheelbase getting jammed, causing an unfortunate disturbance to a part of the launching gantry.

As authorities investigate the cause of the collapse, the families of the victims mourn the loss of their loved one, while prayers are offered for the swift recovery of the injured workers.