Mumbai, April 15 During the ongoing construction work of Metro Line 2B at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai, a mechanical failure caused a 400-tonne mobile crane to tilt. However, no injuries or casualties were reported.
The crane was lifting a pre-cast beam to topple near the Asian Heart Hospital junction. The mishap happened at 4.30 a.m. during the overnight work being carried out by the contractor J. Kumar Infraprojects Limited. No injuries or casualties have been reported, said the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) in a release.
“However, to ensure quick clearance of the toppled equipment and to ensure the road is opened to traffic at the earliest, senior officials from MMRDA promptly reached the site. A 600-tonne crane is being mobilised to safely recover the toppled equipment. Our teams are working to ensure that there is the least inconvenience to citizens. In consultation with the traffic police, traffic has been diverted. We are working proactively to restore regular traffic at the earliest. Further checks and balances as needed are being implemented to ensure safety at the site,” said the MMRDA.
MMRDA Director Basavraj MB said, “ As per our initial investigation, there was a great failure in the lifting boom of one crane. After the failure, the load shifted to another crane, which caused it to tilt. We will rectify it. The road will be reopened for traffic within 3-4 hours.”
Earlier, MMRDA faced criticism from all quarters after a fatal accident on the under-construction Metro Line 4 (Wadala-Kasarvadavali) took place on February 14. It raised serious questions about infrastructure safety, contractor oversight, and the quality of urban governance in the Mumbai-Thane region. The mishap occurred at approximately 12.15 p.m. near the Mulund Fire Station on LBS Road. A 1.8-tonne precast concrete parapet segment fell from an elevated pier (Pier P196) onto passing vehicles. One person, Ramdhan Yadav, was killed after his auto-rickshaw was crushed. Three others sustained injuries.
An internal probe revealed that a welder "inadvertently" cut the temporary fasteners holding the segment before it had been properly stitched with construction adhesive. This procedural shortcut made the segment unstable. In the aftermath of the tragedy, the MMRDA took a slew of measures, including the termination of the contract of the General Consultant and suspension of four senior officials, including an executive engineer and a superintending engineer. A fine of Rs 5 crore was imposed on the lead contractor and Rs 1 crore on the consultant. Further, work on the 32-km Metro 4 corridor was temporarily halted. MMRDA ordered "Special Intensive Inspection" teams to conduct structural safety audits across all under-construction lines (Metros 2B, 5, 6, 7A, 9, and 12).
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