Mumbai: In a tragic incident that has raised serious concerns over construction safety, a police constable lost his life after an excavator drilling crane collapsed onto his motorcycle on the heavily trafficked Sion–Panvel route late on the night of April 28. The accident occurred in the Mankhurd area and led to major disruption of traffic across Mankhurd, Chembur, and adjoining stretches the following day.
Deceased: Santosh Gopal Chavan, 23 years service
The deceased, Santosh Gopal Chavan, was a serving police constable attached to Nehru Nagar police station and was on deputation at the Eastern Region Control Room. On the night of the incident, he had completed his duty and was returning home to Panvel on his motorcycle (MH 43 W 3238).
Critically injured, died at MGM Hospital
While he was travelling along the Sion–Panvel highway at around 9:45 pm, an excavator drilling crane installed for flyover-related excavation work suddenly collapsed onto the road. The heavy machinery fell directly onto his motorcycle, leaving him critically injured.
Local police personnel from Mankhurd police station immediately rushed to the spot after receiving information. Chavan was rescued from beneath the crane and shifted in a seriously injured condition to MGM Hospital in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. Despite emergency medical treatment, doctors declared him dead during treatment.
Case against contractor and operator
Preliminary investigation suggests that the crane had been placed on unstable or inadequately prepared ground, causing it to lose balance and topple. Authorities believe negligence in installation and safety measures may have contributed to the accident. A case has been registered against the contractor, crane operator, and other individuals involved under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further investigation is underway.
The accident also triggered one of the worst traffic snarls on the Sion–Panvel corridor. On April 29, vehicular movement came to a near standstill across Mankhurd and Chembur as the fallen crane blocked a major portion of the roadway. The Sion–Panvel route, which is one of Mumbai’s key arterial highways, witnessed long queues of stranded vehicles stretching for several kilometres.
Blockage cleared by evening
To restore traffic flow, authorities deployed two heavy-duty cranes to remove the collapsed machinery. The removal operation took several hours and was finally completed by the evening of April 29. During this period, traffic police and local police personnel were deployed extensively on the ground to manage congestion and divert vehicles through alternate routes.
Despite coordinated efforts by officials, traffic congestion persisted throughout the day, causing significant inconvenience to daily commuters, office-goers, and transport operators. Emergency services and public transport were also affected due to the prolonged blockage.
Residents noted that while traffic density was comparatively lower at the time of the incident, which helped avoid a larger disaster, the delay in clearing the accident site worsened conditions the next day.
Chavan, who had served in the Maharashtra Police Force for 23 years, was widely respected among colleagues. His sudden and accidental death has led to widespread grief within the police department. He was given a state funeral with full honours at Sassole Crematorium in Nerul, Navi Mumbai, where senior police officials and colleagues paid their final respects.
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