After fatal Mulund collapse, MMRDA orders corridor wide safety audit of Metro Line 4

The stretch where the incident occurred is being executed by a joint venture of Reliance Infrastructure and Astaldi SPA, with Milan Road Buildtech LLP as the subcontractor.

The parapet segment fell near pier P196, between Sonapur and Mulund Fire Station Metro stations. The line is scheduled to open in phases later this year.

In response, Additional Metropolitan Commissioner Ashwin Mudgal has ordered a corridor wide inspection from Wadala to Kasarvadavali in Thane, covering what officials described as “every nook and corner” of the project. The inspection will continue for three to four days and will include physical checks, documentation and identification of unsafe elements.

If any potential risk is identified, the inspection team has been authorised to suspend construction activity. Immediate rectification or removal of any unsafe element has been mandated, along with submission of daily reports detailing observations, corrective steps and preventive measures.

The scope of inspection includes parapets, beams, crash barriers, structural elements above live traffic, public access areas, temporary supports, construction debris, barricading and compliance with approved drawings and safety protocols.

Three senior MMRDA officials are leading the exercise. Basavraj Bhadragond, director projects, is heading both the inspection and the investigation committee. Abhijit Bhishikar is overseeing the section from Wadala to Sonapur, while Madhukar Kharat is in charge of the stretch from Sonapur to Gaimukh.

Members of the general consultant consortium, which includes DB Engineering and Consulting, Hill International Inc and Louis Berger Consulting Private Limited, are also part of the inspection team. The consortium was fined Rs 1 crore by the MMRDA following the incident.

Notably, two officials from the consortium, project consultant Sai Suresh and project manager Avdhut Inamdar, have been named as accused in the FIR.

The inspection team also includes package executive engineers, quality assurance and design proof checking officials, safety engineers and two external members from Metro Line 9 and Line 5 who will submit independent findings.

Earlier this month, what appeared to be a crack near pier P189 in Mulund was flagged on social media. The MMRDA had clarified that it was residue from foam sheets used temporarily during construction.

“MMRDA follows a robust approval process for Metro construction, involving nearly 1,200 approvals. In addition, all projects require statutory clearances from bodies such as the Research Designs and Standards Organisation RDSO, the Independent Safety Assessor ISA, and the commissioner of Metro Rail Safety CMRS, which are reviewed and renewed periodically,” the authority had said in a statement.