MUMBAI: Nearly a month after two workers died when a platform they were on crashed 35 feet to the ground at a casting yard site for the Coastal Road phase 2 project in Bhayander West, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to impose a penalty of Rs 3 crore on the contractor, L&T, for negligence.
The action follows a probe report by Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), which flagged bolts of different dimensions and lapses in safety measures as the cause of the incident.
Primary Cause of Collapse
According to a senior BMC official, the platform, which was installed on an industrial gantry crane meant for handling concrete segments, failed to sustain the load because the bolts used for the brackets that held it to the gantry crane were of different specifications. The official stated, "The bolts should have been of the same specification. This is the primary cause behind the platform's collapse."
Additional Safety Lapses
The probe also found that the platform's railing was too low. Along with raising the railing's height, the institute recommended a proper assessment of load calculation and load distribution. The report emphasized that care should be taken to ensure no deficiencies in the execution of the structure as per the design.
The report and the proposal to impose the penalty have been sent to the BMC chief for approval.
Victims and Incident Details
The two workers, Raghunath Das (38) from Odisha and Kanha Singh (45) from Punjab, were carrying out cable-related work at the casting yard of Dahisar-Bhayander Link Road, part of the Coastal Road phase 2 project, when the platform collapsed on May 2. They succumbed to their injuries at the hospital.
Site Clearance and Future Actions
The civic administration has yet to clear the site for further work. A BMC official stated, "An internal safety audit will be carried out by the contractor and VJTI's recommendations will be adhered to. Thereafter, the site will be cleared. A third-party safety audit will also be carried out at this site and at all BMC construction sites."
