Less than three months after a fatal accident at an under-construction metro site, another incident has raised fresh safety concerns along LBS Road in Mulund. A wooden plank fell from the elevated structure of Mumbai Metro Line 4 on Monday morning, narrowly missing a serious mishap.
The incident occurred around 10:15 am when a 3 ft by 8 ft plank dropped onto a passing car roughly 10 metres from the site of the February 14 accident, in which a heavy precast segment had killed one person and injured three others. The plank struck the rear portion of the vehicle as it was taking a U-turn, leaving a dent.
The car belongs to Dr Anita Mathew, Director of Internal and Infectious Diseases at Fortis Hospital, who was seated in the passenger seat at the time. She escaped without injuries, though the vehicle sustained minor damage.
Local MLA Mihir Kotecha said the incident took place just 10–15 metres from the earlier mishap site, intensifying concerns over on-site safety practices. “Thankfully, it neither fell on an auto rickshaw like February’s incident nor on a pedestrian, else, the consequences would have been far more serious,” he said, alleging lapses by the civil contractor and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority.
The February 14 accident, where a 1.8-tonne precast parapet segment collapsed onto vehicles, had already highlighted multiple safety failures. An internal probe had attributed the incident to negligence, unsafe practices, and failure to secure the work zone.
The Metro 4 civil contract was awarded to the Reliance Infrastructure–Astaldi Joint Venture and subcontracted to Milan Buildtech. Kotecha called for strict action, stating, “I demand that their contract be terminated immediately. No MMRDA officials visited the spot even hours after the latest incident,” Kotecha added.
However, the MMRDA has disputed the occurrence. “In this case, while a complaint was reported, no such incident has been recorded or corroborated at the site. There is no evidence of any material falling from the viaduct, and no construction activity was underway in the mentioned stretch at the time. Additionally, no injuries or damage have been reported. As a responsible authority, MMRDA has nonetheless initiated a detailed investigation through the General Consultant to verify the matter thoroughly and ensure continued adherence to the highest safety standards,” an official said in a statement.
The episode has once again drawn attention to safety oversight at major infrastructure sites in the city.
Source: Hindustan Times
