Biker escapes narrowly after winds dislodge steel sheet from Pune Metro site
In August 2023, a moving car near Yerwada Chowk was severely damaged after an iron structure from an under-construction metro corridor fell onto its bonnet.
A steel sheet falling from the Pune Metro site near Nigdi under the impact of strong winds on Saturday. (Screengrab) Questions have been raised over safety measures on the ongoing metro work in Pune, as strong winds dislodged a steel sheet from an under-construction metro site, narrowly missing a passing biker. The incident occurred near Nigdi Chowk around 3 pm Saturday.
Temporary steel-sheet structures had been erected at the top of the pillar site to provide shade and cover for workers. According to a video shared widely on social media, sudden gusty winds swept through the area in the afternoon, causing metal sheets attached to the temporary structure to come loose and fall onto the busy Old Mumbai-Pune Highway below.
At the time, traffic movement on the highway was normal, with several motorists passing through the stretch. The video shows one of the sheets landing just inches ahead of a two-wheeler rider, who managed to stop and regain control of the vehicle moments before a possible collision.
No injuries were reported in the incident. However, commuters and local residents questioned the safety precautions at the construction site, especially as the falling sheet could have caused a serious accident on the busy highway.
“Khadki to Nigdi is one of the busiest stretches where the metro runs parallel above the highway, and thousands of commuters use this road every day. Fortunately, nobody was injured in this incident, but it could easily have turned fatal, especially for two-wheeler riders. In Pune, many riders still do not wear helmets regularly, which increases the risk during such unexpected incidents,” said K Shantanu, a regular commuter on the route.
He further said, “Authorities and contractors involved in metro work must strictly follow safety SOPs and ensure that temporary structures are strong enough to withstand extreme weather events like gusty winds and heavy rain. After this incident, there should be a detailed safety audit of all metro routes and the under-construction metro sites so that commuters are not put at risk.”
Responding to the incident, Chandrashekhar Tambekar, Spokesperson, Pune Metro, said, “Metro security officials and their team are investigating this incident, and the matter has been taken cognisance of at the highest levels of the metro administration. Based on the investigation, strict and appropriate action will be taken against those found responsible for this incident. Additionally, comprehensive safety audits are being conducted along the routes currently under construction.”
Earlier mishap
This is not the first such incident linked to metro construction work in Pune. In August 2023, a moving car near Yerwada Chowk was severely damaged after an iron structure from an under-construction metro corridor fell onto its bonnet. The incident had taken place shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the extended metro routes in the city.
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