Mumbai: BMC-MMRDA passes buck on to each other for Prabhadevi resident’s death

Mumbai: Blame game has begun in the case of the death of a 58-year-old Prabhadevi resident with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) officials claiming the others carrying out works.

On Monday evening, Prabhadevi resident Pradeep Ambekar was on his way back home from BDD Chawl in Worli, when he fell into an uncovered 10 feet deep pit due to a lack of public street lights. In the area construction work is underway by the MMRDA for the Worli-Sewri Connector project.

The project will be an elevated road between Bandra Worli Sea Link and Mumbai Trans Harbour Link.

The incident occurred near location P-106 of Worli-Sewri Connector. “On Saturday, sewer line connection work was in progress. During this, the water line was damaged. For this damaged water line the repair work was required and the same was intimated to the civic officials on the same day,” explained an MMRDA official.

The repair work was done by the BMC officials on Saturday night. “However, it was noticed on Sunday evening that minor leakage still exists therefore the pit needed to be kept open as per the instructions of BMC officials. The pit was barricaded at the site,” clarified MMRDA.

When BMC was approached on the same, a civic official retorted that the MMRDA had damaged the civic body’s sewer line, which had to be attended to on an urgent basis. The MMRDA-appointed contractor was entrusted with the work to repair it by diverting the sewer line.

According to the locals, the pit was left uncovered and was a spot for an accident waiting to happen, which the authorities deny.

Anil Koli, Senior Inspector of Police, Worli Police Station said, "Statements of all the people related to this case are being recorded. Action will be taken against the person found guilty in the investigation."

Published on: Thursday, November 10, 2022, 12:44 AM IST