Following the death of a construction worker on Metro Line 3, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) has initiated an inquiry into the incident, while the Mumbai Police have registered an accidental death report.
The incident occurred around 2.30 p.m. on Friday, when Harishchandra Prajapati (45) and Sunil Ram (37) were breaking rock in a cross passage between SEEPZ station and the ramp at Sariput Nagar. Police officials said a rock mass from the tunnel face collapsed, trapping the duo. Mr. Ram, survived, with minor injuries but Prajapati, who was taken to Cooper Hospital, was declared dead on arrival at 5.30 p.m. Doctors at the hospital said he suffered several injuries to the chest and abdomen and had fractures on his hand and mud in the open wounds.
The MIDC police said they have launched an investigation to ascertain if there was any negligence involved. MMRC, in a statement, said the incident is being investigated by its contractors and by the general consultants, and all remedial measures will be taken as required. The incident occurred in Package 7 of the project, which is being executed by the consortium of Larsen & Toubro and Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Company.
This was the first death on the 33.5-km-long under-construction Metro Line 3, which is being built between SEEPZ and Colaba. In November 2017, a worker had died on the construction site of Dahisar East-Andheri East Metro Line 7, after the hook of a crane fell on his head. His family was given compensation of around ₹9 lakh. An MMRC spokesperson said Prajapati’s family will also be compensated.
Over 60% of the tunnelling work on the corridor is completed and the project is expected to be commissioned by December 2021.
