The contractor for Metro Green Line 4 reportedly failed to follow standard operating procedures (SoP) leading to the tragic incident, local BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha alleged. He said the contractor is known for lapses, and added that he had earlier taken up this issue in the legislature as well.
“It has now emerged that today’s incident involved the contractor whose work had previously been red-flagged for negligence,” said MLA Mihir Kotecha, “MMRDA chief safety officer said workers were welding the parapet wall to secure it, when they mistakenly cut it instead. As per the SOP, such critical work must be carried out under supervision, but there was no one to oversee the work. The weakened structure collapsed 11 hours later.”
A few days ago, Kotecha had conducted a joint inspection of the 2-km stretch of the Metro project passing over LBS Road along with MMRDA and BMC officials. “We identified negligence at over 55 locations, documented them with GIS-tagged 100 photos, formally raising the issue in the legislature,” he added.
“Even today, for several hours after the incident, there was no MMRDA official at the site. MMRDA chief Mukherjee was out of station,” he alleged during a site visit with Mayor Ritu Tawde. Following the uproar, senior MMRDA officials later visited the site in the evening.
Congress’s Rakesh Shetty alleged there was no point just giving compensation to the victims’ families, and that they must be offered a job on compassionate grounds.
Contractor to pay for error
5
Number of people arrested for the mishap, including managers, engineers, a supervisor, and a worker
55
No. of locations on Metro Line 4 where MLA Mihir Kotecha claims to have found negligence
