Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday condoled the loss of lives in the tragic accident at Shahapur in Maharashtra and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each of the deceased and an assistance of Rs 50,000 for the injured persons. Sixteen workers were killed and three injured as a crane fell on a bridge slab during construction of the third phase of Samruddhi Expressway in Shahapur tehsil of Thane district on Tuesday, an official said.

“Three to five persons are still feared trapped and efforts are on to rescue them,” an NDRF official said. The injured have been shifted to nearby hospital, he added.

It was a special-purpose mobile gantry crane used in bridge construction and to install precast box girders in highway construction projects.

The accident took place shortly after midnight on Tuesday near Sarlambe village in Shahapur tehsil, around 80 km from Mumbai, the official said.

The Prime Minister's Office in a tweet said, "Pained by the tragic mishap in Shahapur, Maharashtra. My deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are injured. NDRF and local administration are working at the site of the mishap and all possible measures are being taken to ensure proper assistance to those affected." "An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF will be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," the tweet said.

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