The lives of labourers are also precious

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With rebuilding and redevelopment, facelifts, and uplifts, the mantra of our times, demolition of infra, old structures, and buildings is common across the city. Now, the demolition of an old structure at Atgaon station in Thane district on the Central Railway turned tragic on Saturday after an iron staircase collapsed, killing a labourer and leaving another critically injured, according to news agencies.

An official from the Shahapur police station said that the accident occurred while workers were dismantling the station's old ticket house. While that was on a portion of an adjoining staircase, part of an ageing iron bridge structure suddenly gave way and crashed, trapping two labourers working below. One was pulled out and taken to the hospital with serious injuries, while the other died at the site.

This shows that demolition of any infra needs extremely careful and calibrated action. Has there been an in-depth study done about the surrounding structures that will be affected as a result of this demolition? Are workers/labourers involved in the demolition suitably attired with safety equipment? Has an entire affected area been cordoned off? We have to be better prepared during demolition when it comes to the safety of those working at the site and the general public.

Even after demolition for whatever reason, we witness at times, infrastructure that is hanging dangerously for some reason, till those responsible come in and fix it. Debris all around is a given. We must pay equal attention to dismantling as we do to building or rebuilding. Those who have overlooked these safety aspects, endangering the labourers in this particular case, need to be held accountable.