Mumbai: A major accident was reported in Mumbai’s Mulund West on Saturday afternoon after a portion of an under-construction Mumbai Metro Line 4 pillar
collapsed onto vehicles on LBS Marg, killing an auto-rickshaw driver and injuring three others. The incident occurred around 12:20 pm near the Johnson & Johnson and Oberoi premises, when a large concrete slab fell from the metro structure during ongoing construction work. Debris landed on a passing autorickshaw, crushing it, officials said. Fire brigade teams, Mumbai Police, metro officials and 108 ambulance services rushed to the spot. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. The collapse has triggered widespread anger, especially on social media, as it came just days after a user on X had flagged visible cracks on a metro pillar near Mulund’s LBS Marg and urged authorities to act before a tragedy occurred. “Don’t wait for a tragedy to cry. Report it. Repost it. Make it reach the authorities. Big crack spotted on Metro pillar – Mulund,” the user had posted. The warning later went viral, with several users questioning whether the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) acted in time. Though at time of the post MMRDA acknowledged it and also fact-checked it calling it misleading post. Later the user also issued another clarification.
But soon after the incident, the post went viral with netizens alleging that the authorities ignored the warnings. Following the incident, MMRDA issued another clarification, rejecting claims that the earlier post was linked to Saturday’s collapse.
“We deeply regret today’s unfortunate incident near Pier No. P196 by Mulund Fire Station,” MMRDA said in a post on X. The agency stated that visuals shared earlier were from a different pier and location, and that Saturday’s incident involved the collapse of a portion of the parapet, not the cracked pillar highlighted online.
MMRDA said a high-level inquiry has been ordered and a detailed report will be submitted. As an immediate step, construction work on the affected stretch has been halted. The authority also imposed a fine of Rs 5 crore on the contractor and Rs 1 crore on the general consultant, and said corrective measures would be taken to prevent similar incidents.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the incident as unfortunate and said strict action would be taken if lapses are found.
“The accident in Mulund is very unfortunate. One person has died. An inquiry will be conducted to see whether necessary care was taken. If care had been taken, such a situation would not have arisen,” he said, adding that safety audits would be conducted at all ongoing metro work sites and that the victim’s family would be provided assistance.
Mayor Ritu Tawde, Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi and Mulund MLA Mihir Kotecha visited the accident site and later went to Upasani Hospital to meet the injured and console the victim’s family. Tawde said an inquiry would examine possible safety lapses and stressed the need for stricter precautions during metro construction.
Political reactions also followed, with NCP (SP) leader Anish Gawande calling the incident “not an accident but a murder” and demanding culpable homicide charges against the contractor, MMRDA officials and those overseeing the project. He said accountability must be fixed for the loss of life in a city like Mumbai.
Residents in Mulund staged protests after the collapse, demanding answers and action against those responsible. The incident has once again raised questions about safety standards at large infrastructure project sites and how early warnings from citizens are handled.
