Mumbai: A day after glass panels fell from a metro station structure, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) initiated the removal of similar panels from its stations. “Out of the 17 metro stations, three have similar type of panels, which will be replaced with more suitable alternatives at the contractors’ expense,” said an official of MMRDA.
An incident took place at the Mandapeshwar Metro station in Borivali which showed the poor quality of works done at the newly made Metro 2A line. Glass panels from the metro station fell down on an autorickshaw parked below. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident. However, the MMRDA blamed the rickshaw driver over illegal parking.
Structural audit of all station underway: Official
“As the removal process of the glass panels progresses, the MMRDA remains committed to maintaining passenger safety and ensuring the structural integrity of its stations,” said officials adding that structural audit of all station structure having similar arrangements are being done.
In 2019, Western Railway decided to remove glass panels from Churchgate station after a similar incident. The recent episode at Mandapeshwar Metro station further intensified concerns about the integrity of these glass panels.
In response to this incident, the MMRDA has launched a comprehensive investigation to determine the cause of the glass panel collapse. Officials have stated that if anyone is found responsible, appropriate action will be taken. However, scepticism remains among activists and commuters regarding the quality of construction standards at metro stations.
An activist Zoru Bhathena said that the responsible agency should take accountability for the incident and implement preventive measures. Meanwhile, transport activist Mohammed Afzal emphasized the importance of safety audits for all metro stations to ensure public well-being. He highlighted that safety compliance certification is a mandatory prerequisite before commissioning any metro line, stressing the need for proactive prevention of such incidents.
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