The Madhya Pradesh government on Saturday suspended seven engineers, including two chief engineers in the Public Works Department, in connection with the “faulty design” of a new rail overbridge with a 90-degree turn in Bhopal’s Aishbagh area.

The sharp turn on the 648-metre bridge, constructed at the cost of Rs 18 crore, had attracted criticism for being accident-prone.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav stated that he had taken cognisance of the “serious negligence” in the construction of the bridge and ordered an inquiry. “Based on the investigation report, action has been taken against 8 engineers of the PWD,” he said on X.

While seven engineers were suspended with immediate effect, a departmental inquiry would be conducted against a retired senior engineer, added Yadav.

“The construction agency and the design consultant have been blacklisted for submitting a faulty design of the ROB [rail overbridge] in this project,” he said. “A committee has been formed for the necessary improvements in the ROB.”

He added that the overbridge would be inaugurated only after the improvements are made.

Officials had initially defended the design and attributed the flawed alignment to limited land available near a metro station, India Today reported. “Due to the lack of land, there was no other option,” India Today had quoted VD Verma, chief engineer, as having said earlier.

On Thursday, Yadav told reporters that the “issue of the bridge being built with an almost 90-degree sharp turn” had been brought to his notice, ANI reported.

“I said that it was being constructed from 2022 and is yet to be inaugurated,” ANI quoted him as having said. “The bridge is under construction. In such a situation, I have asked officials and the minister to consider the objection raised, rectify the curve to avoid any accidents and also take action against those who made the mistake.”