One dead, three injured after Metro parapet collapses on LBS Road, Mulund

While Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the family of the deceased, the MMRDA slapped a fine of Rs 5 crore on the executing contractor–referring to a trio of Reliance Infrastructure, Astaldi & Milan Road Buildtech–and Rs 1 crore on the general consultant appointed for work on the stretch. A high-powered committee has been set up to investigate the cause of the parapet fall.

The Mulund Police registered an FIR against supervisors of Milan Road Buildtech, the subcontractor responsible for building the stretch of the metro in question on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, attempt to commit culpable homicide among other sections. Late at night, the police arrested five persons including project directors, managers, site supervisor and two consultants.

The incident took place shortly after noon right opposite the Johnson & Johnson office on the busy LBS Road in Mulund West, when one segment of the parapet wall of the Metro Line 4 (from Wadala to Kasarvadavali, Thane) came loose and fell off.

Preliminary inquiry has suggested the fastening of the segment was cut or was missing, leading to the fall, said an MMRDA official, although an investigation is ongoing.

“We heard a loud thud and ran to see what had happened,” said an onlooker who did not want to be named. “The slab had crushed a rickshaw and the front of a car. While one passenger on the rickshaw was not responsive, the slab had trapped the lower part of the rickshaw driver. People were scared of going near fearing that more slabs would fall, but many went ahead and took the injured rickshaw passengers and occupants of the vehicle to Upasani Hospital, which is right there. As for the driver, people were no match for the boulder and could not move it. The driver sat in disconnected shock, unblinking, till he was finally pulled out from under the boulder, his lower half crushed.”

With the Mulund Fire Brigade station also in close proximity, the boulder was then moved by a crane and traffic on the road stopped.

At the Upasani Hospital, Ramdhan was declared bought dead, while Rajkumar was in a critical condition. Mahendra and Deepa were in a stable condition, with Deepa due for a discharge.

By night, Rajkumar’s condition had worsened. “Doctors say his chances of survival are very thin,” said Vikas Yadav, a family member.

Mahendra sustained injuries to his spine and head, had blood clots in his chest, and was unable to use his hand but was responsive, said Yadav. The deceased Ramdhan’s body was taken to Rajawadi Hospital for post-mortem. Two of the three victims from the Yadav family had arrived from UP with others for a wedding, scheduled for Saturday evening.

The MMRDA said the slab near the pier P196 of the under-construction Line 4, the section which was due to open later this year, had fallen. Mayor Ritu Tawde, MLA Mihir Kotecha, and MMRDA officials visited the site and victim’s families. Stringent action after an inquiry was promised. Compensation would also be awarded by MMRDA to the victim’s family.