Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has imposed a cumulative Rs 12.5 crore penalty on the contractor J Kumar and consultants following a safety lapse at the under-construction Medetiya Nagar Metro station on Line 9 on Western Express Highway on Monday.
J. Kumar Infraprojects Ltd (JKIL), the contractor, has been fined Rs 10 crore, while Gajanan has been penalised Rs 1.5 crore. The Systra-CEG-General Consultant has also been fined Rs 1 crore.
The action follows an incident at around 11.50 am, on Monday August 17th when a material basket being operated by a crane during debris removal and material-shifting work came into contact with granite stones stacked near the foot-over bridge (FOB) area at Metro Line 9 project site. The impact caused the stones to fall from the FOB level into the barricaded construction zone as per the MMRDA.
MMRDA clarified that no granite stone directly hit a school bus or van and no students were present in the vehicle. According to the authority, the stones fell within the barricaded work area. Subsequently, a vehicle passing through the vicinity ran over some scattered pieces of granite, resulting in punctured tyres. No injuries were reported.
Taking serious note of the safety lapse, MMRDA has initiated action against the agencies associated with the project.
The total penalty imposed by the authority stands at Rs 12.5 crore.
MMRDA has directed all agencies involved in the work to strictly comply with prescribed safety protocols and undertake corrective measures to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.
The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of safety arrangements at construction sites along Mumbai's expanding Metro network, where ongoing civil and erection works are being carried out in densely populated areas and alongside existing traffic movement.
Metro Line 9 is being developed to extend connectivity from Dahisar East towards Mira-Bhayandar, forming an important link for commuters in the northern suburbs and adjoining areas.
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