Goa Bus Crash: Injured Labourers Demand Employer’s Arrest Over Unsafe Housing

Panaji: May 29, 2024

In the aftermath of a tragic bus accident that claimed the lives of four construction labourers and injured five others, the survivors are calling for the arrest of their employer for providing unsafe housing conditions. The accident occurred late Saturday night (May 25) in Goa’s Verna Industrial Estate.

The labourers, who were working on a stormwater drain project for Kudroli Constructions Pvt Ltd, had been living in huts made of corrugated metal set up along the roadside. A speeding bus transporting employees of Rosenberger Interconnect Private Ltd crashed into three of these huts, resulting in the fatalities and injuries. The bus occupants were unharmed.

Olencio Simoes, speaking on behalf of the workers, highlighted the illegal and unsafe conditions in which the labourers had been living for the past 14 months. “The labourers were residing in temporary huts along the national highway, which is itself illegal and in contravention of the law. We demand the immediate arrest of the owner of Kudroli Constructions Pvt Ltd,” Simoes stated.

Simoes also noted that the workers were not registered with the labour department, a violation of the Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970 & Rules 1971.

In response to the incident, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has vowed to take punitive measures against Kudroli Constructions for violating safety regulations.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his sorrow over the incident on Tuesday, mourning the loss of the labourers from East Champaran district of Bihar. “Deeply saddened over their death, who were from East Champaran district of Bihar and died in a road accident in Goa. Wishing speedy recovery of the injured persons,” Kumar posted on X.

This tragic incident has raised serious concerns about the living conditions of migrant workers and the enforcement of safety regulations in Goa.