A Public Interest Litigation has been filed before the Bombay High Court seeking a comprehensive structural safety assessment of all under-construction metro corridors across Mumbai following a fatal accident in Mulund earlier this month. The plea was moved after a tragic incident on February 14, when a portion of a parapet slab from the under-construction Mumbai Metro Line 4B collapsed onto LBS Marg. The falling debris struck a moving autorickshaw and a private car. It was reported that Ramdhan Yadav, a farmer and Sarpanch from Uttar Pradesh, was killed instantly. Serious injuries were sustained by the autorickshaw driver and the cab driver.
Through the petition, an independent third-party safety audit of all metro construction sites in the city has been sought. It has been requested that a detailed report explaining the precise cause of the February 14 accident be submitted before the court. Concerns have been raised regarding construction standards and the structural integrity of elevated metro components built over busy arterial roads. Questions have also been directed at the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, which is overseeing multiple metro corridors in Mumbai. An explanation has been sought as to why blacklisting proceedings have allegedly not been initiated against the contractor involved in the fatal incident. Transparency regarding compensation granted to the deceased’s family and to the injured victims has also been demanded.
As interim relief, an immediate halt to metro construction work along LBS Marg in Mulund West near Friend’s Academy has been requested, and a structural safety evaluation of that stretch has been urged. Similar directions have been sought for ongoing metro work near the Powai turn close to Kanjurmarg. It has been stated in the petition that fear has been created among commuters who travel daily beneath elevated metro structures. Emphasis has been placed on the need for accountability and public safety safeguards at infrastructure sites across the city.
The matter is expected to be heard next week by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Gautam Ankhad. The outcome of the hearing is anticipated to have significant implications for safety oversight and regulatory enforcement in Mumbai’s expanding metro network.
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