Bengaluru Metro pillar collapse: HC notice to state, BMRC on Rs 10-cr compensation plea
The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday (July 25) issued notices to the state government, Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), and others on a petition filed by a man who lost his wife and child in the Namma Metro pillar collapse incident earlier this year.
Petitioner Lohitkumar V Sulakhe filed a writ demanding a compensation of Rs 10 crore, claiming that the accident had occurred due to the negligence of BMRCL authorities.
Sulakhe’s wife Tejaswini L Sulakhe (26) and his two-and-a-half-year-old son Vihan, who were travelling on a bike, died after the under-construction metro pillar fell on them near Nagavara on January 10 this year.
The BMRCL had communicated to Sulakhe that Rs 20 lakh would be provided as compensation.
“Rs 20 lakh not enough”
In his petition, which was heard by Justice Krishna S Dixit, Sulakhe submitted that mere Rs 20 lakh was not sufficient for the innocent life lost due to inaction, inadequate safety measures, and carelessness on part of the respondents.
Tejaswini, a software engineer, was earning Rs 75,748 per month, it said.
The petitioner further said that the compensation was not adequate and was merely offered to hide the negligence on their part, the fact that all the respondents lacked knowledge on safety precautions, and were careless and ignorant about safety measures, due to which two innocent lives were lost.
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Noting that Tejaswini was the breadwinner of the family, which had recently moved into a flat bought on loan, the petition sought a compensation of Rs 10 crore for the victim’s family.
The court adjourned the case after issuing the notices to the respondents to file their objections.
The other respondents in the petition include the MD, Chief Engineer and Operation Engineer of BMRCL, ICICI Lombard General Insurance, MD of Nagarjuna Construction Company, and its project manager.
(With agency inputs)