No negligence in Freeway mishap

The report of a committee appointed to probe July’s mishap at the under-construction Eastern Freeway project at Wadala has blamed “unanticipated mechanical issues not attributable to negligence” for the collapse.

One person was killed and five others were injured when a portion of an under-construction bridge on Eastern Freeway collapsed at Wadala in July.

“…the committee agreed with the project management consultants’ (PMC) findings that the current accident…(occurred due to) unanticipated mechanical issues not attributable to negligence arising during the gluing operations,” said Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) Commissioner, Rahul Asthana.

The three-member committee comprised Ravi Sinha, professor, Indian Institute of Technology (Mumbai), SB Tamsekar, chief engineer, public works department (PWD) and PRK Murthy, chief of the transport and communication division of the MMRDA.

Asthana added that the committee also suggested remedial measures, like deputing dedicated safety officials for each launching girders and barricading the area below when overhead launching girders are being used to prevent any traffic movement.

The contractors of the project, Simplex Infrastructure Limited, had also worked with the MMRDA on the Lalbaug flyover project, and action to debar them from taking up any work with the MMRDA for two years has already been initiated for their alleged failure to observe safety norms in the Lalbaug project.

“We will take a consolidated view and take action,” Asthana said.