Five officials arrested and ₹5 crore fine imposed after Mumbai Metro Line-4 pillar collapse in Mulund kills one. Probe ordered as MMRDA halts construction and launches safety audit.
Mumbai: Mumbai Police arrested five officials and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) imposed fine on a construction company after a portion of Metro pillar fell and crushed a best-auto resulting in death of one person and injury to three on Saturday afternoon near Mulund West police station area.
The incident took place at around 12.15 pm when part of the under-construction Metro Line-4 viaduct’s parapet wall fell down on to an auto-rickshaw and a car on Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Road. Mumbai Police said that the injured persons were rushed to nearby hospitals and later one of them died while three others were injured.
FIR filed against five officials
The officials attached with the construction and supervision work on Metro Line-4 have been arrested. Mumbai Police said that FIR was registered against five officials who include officials attached with project management, supervision firms engaged in construction of elevated Metro corridor under relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Briefing media about the incident, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Ravindra alias SR Pendse said that five officials were arrested on prima facie on the charges of negligence on construction work and overlooking work quality.
MMRDA imposed fines
MMRDA has imposed fine of Rs 5 crore on RAJV Milan Infra Private Limited – the contractor company who was given contract for constructing elevated Metro corridor on Line-4. According to ANI report, MMRDA also imposed fine of Rs 1 crore on general consultant consortium of DB Engineering & Consulting, Hill International Inc and Louis Berger Consulting for overlooking construction work.
Construction work has been stopped temporarily and probing into reasons that led to fall of Metro pillar’s part has begun. Further structural audit of entire stretch of Line-4 would also be carried out.
Investigation launched
Investigation team led by Additional Commissioner (admin) S.K. Padmanabhan has been formed by MMRDA to probe into reasons that triggered mishap. As per reports, team would probe into the methodology adopted for construction of Metro corridor and whether there was negligence on quality check.
Talking to reporters, Additional Metropolitan Magistrate (admin) S.K. Padmanabhan said, “Initially high level probe is being conducted into what led to this incident. Committee formed for probe would submit report about shortcomings, if any. Till probe report isn’t submitted further action would not be taken. Strict actions would be taken if someone is found guilty after probe.”
‘Probe to look into aspects’
Talking to ANI about formation of high level inquiry committee by MMRDA, Transport Minister Deepak Sawant said, “Probe will look into all aspects related to work including methodology of construction and safety measures adopted.”
CM reacts
Taking cognizance of incident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Twitter, “Received report about falling of pillar of Mumbai Metro work at Mulund West area in Mumbai. In the incident, one person died and three suffered injuries. Have instructed officials to immediately conduct an enquiry and initiate action against those found guilty.”
Political Leaders slam incident
Congress MLA Hemant Tikekar slammed the incident and questioned “metai baat kahiye aisa lagta hai ki Metro ka paisa poora paisa scam mein udhaar diya gaya hai.” He added that it can’t be accepted that four pillars falling in Mumbai and questioning failure of administrative machinery.
Leaders from Shiv Sena also reacted over the incident questioning regular safety audit of ongoing infrastructure projects. Shiv Sena spokesperson Harshwardhan Jadhav said that inhuman that such kind of incident took place when Mumbai is celebrating 400th foundation day.
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