The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to submit a detailed response within two weeks in connection with a public interest litigation (PIL) filed after last month’s metro construction accident in Mulund. The petition calls for a third-party structural safety audit of all metro construction sites across the city.
The matter was heard by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Gautam Ankhad. The PIL, filed by advocate Ruju Thakkar, has requested the court to suspend metro construction at the Mulund accident site, conduct a structural audit of ongoing metro works, and disclose the compensation provided to the victims and their families.
The petition follows an incident on February 14, when a concrete parapet slab from the under-construction Mumbai Metro Line 4 (Wadala–Kasarvadavali) fell onto vehicles travelling along Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg in Mulund West. The slab struck an autorickshaw and a car, killing one person and injuring three others.
The victim, Ramdhan Yadav, had been travelling in the autorickshaw with two relatives after attending a family function. The driver of a Skoda Kushaq, which was crushed under the falling structure, was also injured.
According to reports, the slab measured approximately six by four feet and weighed several hundred kilograms. It allegedly detached from the mid-section of an elevated pier along the metro corridor. The accident triggered widespread concern about construction safety and oversight in large infrastructure projects.
In her petition, Thakkar noted that LBS Marg is a key arterial route linking areas such as Kurla and Ghatkopar with Thane, leaving commuters with few alternatives to avoid the stretch. She also stated that many Mulund residents are anxious about travelling beneath the under-construction metro line.
Following the incident, several residents raised concerns on social media about the quality of construction on metro corridors, particularly Lines 4 and 6. MMRDA, however, has maintained that the structures remain safe and that all required safety measures are being followed.
Source: Hindustan Times
