Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Mar 5: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to file within two weeks a detailed affidavit in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a third-party structural safety audit of all metro construction sites in the city.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Gautam Ankhad was hearing the petition filed by advocate Ruju Thakkar in the wake of last month’s fatal slab collapse in Mulund.
The PIL seeks an immediate halt to metro construction at the accident site on Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Marg in Mulund West, a comprehensive structural safety audit of ongoing metro works across Mumbai, and disclosure of compensation paid to the deceased’s family and those injured in the incident.
On February 14, a concrete parapet slab from the under-construction Mumbai Metro Line 4 (Wadala–Kasarvadavali corridor) collapsed onto an autorickshaw and a car travelling along LBS Marg. One person, identified as Ramdhan Yadav, was killed, while three others sustained injuries.
Yadav was returning from a family function in an autorickshaw along with two relatives when the slab, measuring approximately 6x4 feet and weighing a few hundred kilograms, reportedly fell from a pier in the mid-section of the elevated corridor. The driver of a Skoda Kushaq car, which was crushed under the debris, was also injured.
The incident sparked widespread public outrage and renewed scrutiny over safety standards at major infrastructure projects in the city.
In her plea, Thakkar pointed out that LBS Marg is a crucial arterial road connecting Mumbai suburbs such as Kurla and Ghatkopar with neighbouring Thane, making it virtually impossible for daily commuters to avoid the stretch despite safety concerns. She stated that residents of Mulund, including her own family and acquaintances, were apprehensive about travelling beneath the elevated metro line.
Apart from seeking a safety audit, the petitioner has urged the court to direct authorities to secure all metro lines under construction and to halt work at the Mulund site until a thorough structural assessment is conducted.
Following the mishap, several citizens took to social media to flag alleged flaws in the construction quality of metro rail infrastructure, particularly on Lines 4 and 6. However, the MMRDA has maintained that the structures are safe and that necessary precautions and inspections are being carried out.
The matter will be heard again after the authority files its detailed response.