A tragic accident claimed the life of a police constable when a heavy piling rig toppled onto him at an under-construction flyover site in Mumbai. Officials confirmed the incident on Wednesday, detailing that the mishap took place on the northbound carriageway of the Sion-Panvel Highway in the Mankhurd area on Tuesday night.
The victim, identified as Santosh Gopal Chavan, was heading home on his motorcycle when the piling rig, used for drilling foundation piles, collapsed and struck him. According to an official from Mankhurd police station, the construction work on the flyover was in progress at the time. Chavan sustained severe injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
The constable was attached to Nehru Nagar police station and was on deputation to the east control room in Chembur. Preliminary investigations suggest that the equipment may have been positioned on unstable soil, leading to the collapse. Authorities have initiated legal proceedings, with Mankhurd police in the process of registering a case against the contractor for alleged negligence.
Officials are investigating the role of contractors and site supervisors and reviewing whether mandatory safety protocols were followed at the construction site. This incident is not the first of its kind in Mumbai. On April 15, a mobile crane toppled during Metro construction in the Bandra-Kurla Complex, though no injuries were reported. Earlier, in February, one person died and three others were injured after a slab of the girder bridge of an under-construction Metro rail line collapsed on vehicles in Mumbai's Mulund area.
The TOI City Desk, a team of journalists dedicated to covering city news across the nation, reported on this incident. They focus on urban life, governance, culture, and local issues, providing comprehensive views of evolving cityscapes. The desk works tirelessly to keep readers informed about the latest developments, ensuring they stay connected to the heartbeat of cities across India.
