Granite slabs fall from under-construction Mira Road Metro station, school van has narrow escape

A screengrab from footage shot by a Mira Road resident of the school van whose left rear tyre got punctured by shards of granite at the Medetiya Nagar Metro station. Pic/By Special Arrangement

A van ferrying schoolchildren had a narrow escape after a few granite slabs fell from the foot overbridge of the under-construction Medetiya Nagar Metro station in Mira Road East around 11.50 am on Monday. While the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) confirmed the incident and stated that none were injured, they claimed in a statement that no children were in the vehicle. Eyewitnesses, however, said otherwise, providing video evidence supporting their claim.

"It was a fortunate day for those kids," a local businessman, requesting anonymity, told mid-day. As per the MMRDA, the slabs had fallen in a barricaded area due to accidental contact with a material basket being handled by a crane.

The barricaded area below the Metro station. Pic/Sarthak Mehta

"Subsequently, a vehicle passing through the vicinity ran over some scattered pieces of granite, resulting in a punctured tyre. No students were in the vehicle, and no injuries were reported," read the MMRDA statement. Some of those present when the incident occurred, requesting anonymity while showing videos they had captured, state that there were four to six children inside the van.

[popcorn number="11.50 am" desc="Time slabs fell from foot overbridge on Monday" class="Default"]

Contractors face action

The spot where the slabs fell on Monday. PIC/Satej Shinde

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority revealed in its statement that it has taken serious note of the safety lapse and initiated stringent action. It further stated that it has "directed all agencies concerned to strictly adhere to prescribed safety protocols and implement necessary corrective measures to prevent any recurrence." The contractor, architectural finishing contractor and general consultant have been fined '10 crore, '1.5 crore, and '1 crore, respectively.

‘School didn't file complaint'

"By the time we reached the spot, the school van was gone; it was traced, and a representative of the school administration was called to our police station. They said that no major damage had happened apart from the tyre puncture; they didn't say if any students were present in the van and refused to lodge a complaint," a police officer from Navghar police station told mid-day.

Eyewitness Speak

Amit Singh, 19
‘I heard a loud sound and rushed to the spot at 11.43 am. That's when I took out my phone and started recording. Broken stones were scattered on the road. The school van's tyre burst, and the driver had parked it, fearing loss of control. At least four kids were sitting in the van. They were transferred to another school vehicle around 12.15 pm after the school staff came to receive them. The scattered debris was cleared around 12.30 pm'

A Mira Road resident
‘This is not new for this Metro site. A labourer fell to death a year ago, and a metal sheet fell from the platform onto the road a few months back. I have seen big stones falling from the same FOB, damaging vehicles parked here'

A shopkeeper
‘I saw children inside the van in question. A red crane was being operated at the time. The area below it was barricaded'

A local
‘We heard a loud sound around 11.42 am. I have a video recorded from my phone. There were children present in the van'