In Mulund, one such day began with a scary accident and is now a sad one. A heavy segment of cement from an under-construction Metro Line 4 (Wadala-Kasarvadavali) pillar collapsed onto LBS Marg, leading to one death and three injuries, authorities said. A massive cement block dropped to the ground near the Mulund Check Naka, where the block allegedly made of curing material or a pillar cap crashed into a moving car and an auto-rickshaw below, during busy traffic times.
The Collapse’s Human Toll
Initial accounts offered hope for a miraculous escape for the commuters, but local hospitals and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have issued detailed updates confirming casualties.
- Passenger dies in private car: The passenger was injured from falling debris and died of head and chest injuries while being transported to a nearby hospital.
- Injured: Three others the auto-rickshaw driver and two other commuters are being treated. One of them is said to be in critical condition, while the others have remained stable with minor fractures and lacerations.
- Emergency response: Local residents first arrived to assist the victims trapped in the construction, before the fire brigade and the local police descended to clear the debris with heavy machines.
Accountability and Negligence
Mumbaikars' furious reaction to the death of a citizen on a busy public road as a result of construction failure. This oversight is now being placed squarely under the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) responsibility.
- Safety practices: The residents wonder as to why heavy on-site work over a live traffic zone was being conducted with no protective “safety umbrellas” or reinforced scaffolding.
- Police Investigation: The Mulund Police are now conducting their investigation to register an FIR against the project contractor and the construction site engineers for "causing death by negligence" (Section 304A of the IPC).
- Work ceased: Line 4 all construction has to stop immediately pending full safety audit and submission of report to the state government.
Official Statement
A spokesman for the MMRDA expressed deep regret at the loss of life: “A high-level committee has been established to investigate the technical failure. We are offering all the assistance needed to families of the victims and will take stringent action against anyone found to have violated safety standards.”
LBS Marg continues to be partially closed for investigation, traffic diversions are in place, and commuters are instructed to stay away from the Mulund Check Naka stretch.
