Labourer Died After Falling From Pillar of Under-Construction Bridge at Shungal, 3 Injured
Solan, February 25, 2025
A labourer died after falling off a pillar when he was busy working at the site of an under-construction four-lane bridge at Shungal on the Shimla-Solan border. Three other labourers survived this unfortunate incident with serious injury but the matter has raised alarm for the safety standard on the construction site in the region.
The workers, who were said to be part of a shuttering team on were one of the bridge’s pillars when they fell. The incident occurred in the early afternoon, when the workers were performing their duties at a considerable height above the ground. At least 15 emergency services and local authority personnel were on the scene providing immediate assistance.
Details of the Incident
According to DSP Solan, Anil Dholta, they were labourers who were working in shuttering work, a process which involves the construction of temporary supports for the concrete until it hardens and needs to be done very carefully. In the process, the workers are placed at heights on scaffolding or pillars. One of the workers lost his balance while they were working on top of the pillar, and fell and died.
The slain was identified as Shukar Ahmed, who belonged to Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir. He died from the fall and although colleagues and emergency responders attempted to revive him, he was pronounced dead at the scene. The worker’s family has been devastated by the tragedy.
Three other laborers were injured in the accident. The workers, Ubed Ahmed and Abdul Karim (both hailing from Jammu and Kashmir) and Veeri Singh (from Dholpur in Rajasthan), were shifted to Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC), Shimla for immediate medical treatment. It was not immediately known how serious their injuries are, but it has been reported that they have serious trauma and fractures from the fall.
Quick Action from Authorities
The Solan administration acted swiftly in the wake of the mishap and found to it that the injured laborers were admitted and treated. “Part of the immediate relief measures, the district administration provided interim financial assistance of ₹5,000 each to the injured labourers to help them bear their immediate treatment costs,” he said. This quick relief was intended to assist in alleviating some of the financial burdens that the injured workers face as they recover.
Apart from this, the concerned department is preparing documents so that the deceased, Shukar Ahmed, his relatives are given compensation as per government rules. The family of the deceased worker would likely be eligible for a relief payment, which would be processed after all the formalities are done.
The unfortunate event has sparked demands for a comprehensive inquiry into the safety measures implemented on the construction premises. Local authorities have promised an investigation into whether any safety measures were in place at the time of the accident, and whether proper precautions were taken to prevent the tragedy.
Safety Issues on Construction Sites
After the fatal accident at the construction site of the Shungal project, serious concerns have been raised over safety measures in the region’s construction housing sector. This is not the first time a worker at a construction site has been exposed to dangerous conditions, and so this incident should serve as a reminder of the need to provide appropriate safety measures to help keep workers safe from fatal accidents.
Construction workers, especially those who work at heights and use heavy machinery, have a higher risk of injury. Not only should such incidents serve as reminders for construction companies and contractors to take adequate measures to ensure safety of their workers, but the accident at Shungal also exposes the dangers associated with too much such work.
But safety experts and labor unions have long urged tougher enforcement of safety regulations requiring, for instance, the use of proper safety equipment in the workplace, like helmets, harnesses or other fall-arrest systems. All workers should also undergo frequent safety training to understand the risk and take necessary precautions against working on higher workstations or scaffolding.
That the Shungal accident should have occurred at all is a testament to the construction industry’s chronically poor attention to safety — an issue that has been widely documented, and that, in the most extreme cases, has now turned deadly.
Investigation and Accountability
The authorities are also conducting an investigation following the accident to examine the circumstances and determine if any safety protocols were breached. DSP Anil Dholta said an investigation would be carried out to find out if there were adequate safety measures at the construction site when the incident took place. The authorities will also investigate whether the workers had scaffolding or safety parameters during the construction period.
The investigation will seek to determine if workers had been provided with necessary protective equipment, including harnesses, helmets, and other equipment required when working at heights. Additionally, the extent to which the laborers working on-site received adequate training and supervision will be evaluated, particularly to ascertain whether they were conscious of and adhered to the safety protocols in place.
Help and Support to the Families and Community
Locals were also devastated by the killing of Shukar Ahmed and injuries to his colleagues. Members of the construction project have also extended their condolences to their fellow workers, local residents and others, as have local residents, as his family is originally from Ruiz, Nafte, but has lived and worked on the project for years. Unionized workers in the area are demanding greater attention to worker safety as construction companies are urged to step up to the plate.
Local communities and social organizations are supporting the families of the deceased and injured laborers. They are also fully committed to fighting for better compensation for the plight suffered by workers and improved safeguards for better working conditions so that such despicable events will not happen, and if they happen, they will not go unrecognised.
Preventing Accidents: Next Steps
Given this tragedy, experts urge that construction practices, especially for projects involving tall and complex work, including bridge building, be subject to severe scrutiny. It is imperative for the authorities to ensure that all contractors comply with the highest safety standards and conduct regular audits and inspection regimes and worker welfare and environmental protection programs.
In addition, the government and the relevant authorities cannot be content just monitoring the construction, but also have to cooperate with construction companies to establish a comprehensive worker safety system that provides for equipment, training and health insurance.
The gruesome death of Shukar Ahmed and injury to three other labourers at the construction site of Shungal bridge is a wakeup call for the ruthlessness of the construction industry, where poor working conditions have become a part and parcel of working in the industry. So far, the administration has given immediate assistance to the injured and their relatives, but a more thorough investigation of the causes of the accident is needed to ensure that such accidents do not happen in the future. The event highlights the importance of enhanced safety protocols, better protocols for their enforcement and a comprehensive recognition of laborers’ rights working in dangerous environments.
Continuing the achievement of the journey of effectiveness and credibility of more than 10 years in the career of journalism, as a woman journalist, I am Serving as the founder, promoter and editor of DiaryTimes with the trust and support of all. My credible coverage may not have given a big shape to the numbers, but my journey presents articles that make you aware of the exact and meaningful situations of Himachal’s politics, ground issues related to the public, business, tourism and the difficult geographical conditions of the state and financial awareness. DiaryTimes, full of the experience of my precise editorial expertise, is awakening the flame of credible journalism among all of you, so that the eternal flame of meaningful change can be lit in the life of the people of the state and the atrocities being committed against the people can be brought to the fore, I am motivated for that. If even a small change comes with the power of my journalism and the whole world becomes a witness to that issues, then I will consider myself fortunate.
