Thane: MMRDA fines contractor Rs 2 crore after reinforcement cage falls on moving car

The iron rods were part of a reinforcement cage for the pier of the under-construction Anand Nagar–Saket Elevated Road in Thane

The reinforcement cage of a pier at an under-construction elevated road toppled onto a moving car at Kopri Bridge in Thane on Saturday, damaging its front windshield. The woman driving the car narrowly escaped without injuries, police said.

Taking serious note of the incident at the Anand Nagar-Saket Elevated Road project site, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) imposed a penalty of Rs 2 crore on the contractor executing the project and ordered a detailed investigation to ascertain the cause of the collapse and identify possible safety lapses.

MMRDA said the damaged vehicle had been removed and the fallen reinforcement cage was being cleared with the assistance of a crane. The authority said corrective measures would be enforced to prevent a recurrence and that public safety remained its highest priority.

The incident triggered heavy traffic congestion on the Mumbai-bound stretch near Kopri Bridge, a key entry point to Mumbai from Thane, as the damaged vehicle was removed and the fallen structure was cleared.

Yogesh Avhad, senior police inspector at Naupada police station, said no FIR had been registered in connection with the incident so far. He said the woman had been called to the police station thrice but had refused to come, stating that she had no complaint and did not wish to lodge an FIR. "If she comes, only then will an FIR be registered," Avhad said.

Rs 2 cr
Penalty MMRDA has slapped on the contractor