Bengaluru Metro Tragedy – ₹10 Crore Compensation Sought
In Bengaluru, a tragedy that claimed the lives of a young mother and her toddler due to an under-construction metro pillar’s collapse has ignited a fierce legal battle over compensation.
On January 10, 2023, an unforeseen accident shook the city when a metro pillar, part of the Namma Metro project, crumbled near Nagavara, claiming the lives of 26-year-old Tejaswini L Sulakhe and her two-and-a-half-year-old son Vihan. They were on their motorbike when tragedy struck.
The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) responded to the heart-wrenching incident by proposing a compensation of ₹20 lakh to the bereaved family, a gesture that has now come under scrutiny.
The Legal Struggle
Lohitkumar V Sulakhe, husband and father of the victims, hasn’t taken the calamity lying down. He’s approached the Karnataka High Court, filing a writ petition, holding the BMRCL and other parties responsible for the incident due to alleged negligence.
Lohitkumar’s plea, overseen by Justice Krishna S Dixit, asserts that the ₹20 lakh compensation doesn’t reflect the magnitude of loss stemming from “inadequate safety measures and carelessness.” His wife Tejaswini, a software engineer with a monthly salary of Rs.75,748, played a pivotal role as the family’s primary earner. Moreover, the Sulakhe family had recently made a home investment, securing a flat through a loan. With the emotional and financial void created by her untimely demise, Lohitkumar is pushing for a compensation of ₹10 crore, painting the initial amount as a mere cover-up of the project’s alleged negligence.
What Comes Next?
The court has called upon multiple respondents to present their rebuttals, including significant figures from BMRCL, ICICI Lombard General Insurance, and Nagarjuna Construction Company.
This incident not only spotlights the value of human life in infrastructure projects but also underscores the pressing need for stringent safety measures in rapidly urbanizing cities like Bengaluru. As the city races to modernize, such events serve as a stark reminder that progress should never come at the expense of safety and human lives. With the court’s decision pending, the case stands as a testament to the larger issues urban India grapples with in its ambitious drive toward the future.
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