A shocking incident occurred in Mumbai on Thursday when a slab of a flyover collapsed onto a moving vehicle in the Andheri area. The collapse happened around 3:20 p.m. on the Western Express Highway (WEF) near Gundavali Metro Station. While the exact reason for the collapse remains unknown, the driver of the car managed to escape unharmed as the slab fell onto the bonnet of the vehicle.
Authorities from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, Police, and ward staff immediately rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area. The incident has sparked concerns about the safety of infrastructure projects in the city, with Mumbai Congress calling for an urgent check on all ongoing and completed projects.
Activist Zoru Bhathena, sharing a picture of the collapsed slab on X, highlighted the issue of multiple agencies involved in construction but no clear responsibility for maintenance. He criticized the lack of oversight, stating “Multiple agencies for construction. None for maintenance. This is My Mumbai (SIC).”
This incident comes just over a month after a tragic billboard collapse in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar resulted in the deaths of 17 people. A committee headed by former Allahabad High Court chief justice Dilip Bhosle is currently investigating the May 13 incident.
In response to these incidents, Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant announced that the state government will soon unveil a policy regarding hoardings in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). BJP leader Ashish Shelar has demanded an inquiry into hoardings erected since the Covid-19 pandemic, alleging that hoarding owners received subsidies and discounts on licences. He also pointed out that of the 1,025 big hoardings in Mumbai, 179 are located within railway limits without permission from the BMC.
The Maharashtra government has taken action, suspending IPS officer Quaiser Khalid in connection with the hoarding collapse incident. These recent incidents have brought the issue of infrastructure safety and regulatory oversight in Mumbai into sharp focus, prompting calls for immediate action and a thorough investigation into the causes of these collapses.
