October 14, 2025: Mumbai’s construction boom has once again been overshadowed by negligence and loss of life. On October 8, two separate accidents underscored the grim reality of poor safety standards at construction sites. In Jogeshwari East, 22-year-old Sanskruti Amin was killed after a cement block fell from an under-construction building. The same day, a 46-year-old labourer died in Chembur after falling from the 13th floor while plastering a wall.
Relatives of both victims have accused developers of negligence, alleging that “basic safety norms were ignored.” One relative said, “If helmets or safety nets had been in place, these deaths could have been prevented.”
Labour activists claim such tragedies are far from isolated, stating that several go unreported or are quietly settled. “Workers’ lives are treated as cheap. There is no system to monitor safety compliance effectively,” said an activist. Many small and mid-level builders reportedly skip helmets, harnesses, barricades, and training to cut costs.
Adv. Bhimesh Mutula, Secretary of the Maharashtra State Nurses and Labour Workers’ Association, said, “Safety norms in new constructions and redevelopment projects remain only on paper… it is very painful that even after the death or accident of workers, their families do not receive justice or compensation.”
Following Amin’s death, BJP Mumbai President Ameet Satam wrote to BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, demanding a citywide audit of construction sites and strict action against violators. “The BMC must audit all under-construction sites to check whether safety norms are being followed,” he urged.
The BMC’s Building Proposal Department clarified that safety responsibility lies with “the owner, builder, developer, architect, and professionals on record,” as per DCPR 2034 Clause 12(5). Despite “Special Safety Control Guidelines” introduced in August 2025, officials admitted that inspections “are not frequent.”
As Mumbai’s skyline rises, so too do the risks—until enforcement matches ambition, such preventable tragedies may persist.
Source: The Free Press Journal
