Mumbai: Fourteen workers injured as girder of under-construction flyover collapses
At least 14 workers were injured after a girder of an under-construction flyover at MTNL junction in suburban Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai collapsed early on Friday, civic officials said. The mishap occurred at 4:41 am. The injured workers were taken to the Vile Parle-based VN Desai Hospital, where the doctors said that their condition was stable, the officials added.
Workers were carrying out some work on the girder
After being informed about the incident, police and fire brigade personnel along with other authorities rushed to the spot. As per the preliminary report, the workers, who are in the age group of 21 to 49 years, were carrying out some work on the girder when it fell down, they added. The flyover is being constructed on Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR).
MMRDA has initiated an inquiry into the collapse: Aaditya Thackeray
The flyover is being constructed to reduce traffic snarls on the east-west link, besides decongesting the BKC area, one of the biggest business districts of Mumbai. Later in the day, Maharashtra Environment and Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray announced that the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has instituted an inquiry into the collapse of the BKC arm of the under-construction flyover.
Those responsible for negligence will not be spared: Thackeray
"The MMRDA has instituted a 15-day inquiry and those responsible for negligence or any other reason for this section collapse, will not be spared," Thackeray, who is also the guardian minister of Mumbai suburban district, where the incident occurred, said in a tweet.
Ensuring safety of injured workers is the immediate priority: Thackeray
In other tweets, the minister said that ensuring the safety of the injured workers was the "immediate priority," and added that all 14 workers were "safe and fine." The MMRDA, which is the planning, executing, and coordinating authority for Mumbai's metropolitan region, is building this flyover. However, the authority has not issued any official statement over the incident so far.
Here is Thackeray's tweet
Girder of flyover slipped due to tilting of bearings: MMRDA
MMRDA's Metropolitan Commissioner SVR Srinivas said the girder of the flyover slipped a bit due to the "tilting" of bearings. He said the MMRDA was very strict about the quality of the material and added that an inquiry would be conducted "independently" and necessary action would be taken "very seriously." "Such things happen very rarely. It is unfortunate... Should not happen," Srinivas said.
RTI activist urged to register a case against officials, contractors
Meanwhile, RTI activist Anil Galgali urged the Mumbai Police to register a case against the officials and contractors concerned for the alleged violation of safety standards and norms during the flyover construction.
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