A 23-year-old photographer survived a close call on Friday evening when a steel reinforcement bar dropped from the under-construction Sewri–Worli Elevated Connector near Parel, striking his head and injuring him. The incident has reignited concerns about safety oversight in Mumbai’s major infrastructure works.
The Sewri–Worli Elevated Connector is being developed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), with J Kumar Infraprojects Ltd appointed as the contractor.
The injured photographer, Ganesh Budhale, was hit after an 8-mm steel rebar reportedly slipped during pier reinforcement work at Pillar No. 44 near Wadia Maternity Hospital and fell approximately 45 feet. The rod first struck a barricade, which lessened the force, before hitting Budhale’s head. “Thankfully, it struck the side of my head. I dread to think what might have happened if it had fallen on the centre of my head,” said Budhale, a resident of Suryanagar, Vikhroli, while recovering in a private hospital in Parel.
The Bhoiwada police have filed a case against the site’s in-charge engineer under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, citing endangerment and negligent conduct. “The contract for the Sewri-Worli Elevated Connector has been given to J Kumar Infrastructure. The rod slipped from the hands of a worker. But there was no safety net, so the rod fell to the street below and on Budhale’s head. We have registered an offence against the in-charge engineer, Piraji Kamble,” said a police officer with the Bhoiwada police.
MMRDA has issued show-cause notices to both the project management consultant, M/s STUP, and the contractor. “Stern action will be taken against those found responsible for the lapse,” according to MMRDA. The authority added, “The rebar inadvertently fell, bounced on the barricade and caused injury to a passerby, during ongoing pier reinforcement work being executed by the project contractor. The authority will bear the entire treatment cost.”
Budhale questioned pedestrian safety amid ongoing works. “I was forced to walk on the road since the footpath was unusable due to construction work on the elevated corridor. With even that proving unsafe, where are we to walk? In Mumbai, the streets are riddled with potholes and there’s danger from above,” he said.
Echoing broader concerns, former BMC opposition leader Kishori Pednekar stated, “There seems to be no control or supervision on the works being undertaken by various agencies. There is a complete disregard for safety norms in projects, which are thus endangering the lives of citizens.”
Source: Hindustan Times
