Mumbai: The Azad Maidan police on Thursday filed a supplementary chargesheet in Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) bridge that collapsed on March 13 killing seven people and injuring more that 30. The Azad Maidan police have already filed a chargesheet against auditor Niraj Desai in this issue. According to police statements 90 people were part of the chargesheet which also include BMC manuals. More than 83 statements were part of the first chargesheet now they have added another seven.
On March 14 foot overbridge connecting CSMT and D N Road know as Himalaya bridge collapsed claiming seven lives and injuring over 30. Azad Maidan police have arrested four accused in the tragedy The charge sheet cited the report as saying that the bridge collapsed due to heavy corrosion. The thickness of iron parts had decreased from 15 mm to 2 mm, it said. The 306-page second charge-sheet includes statements of 90 witnesses. Among the accused are Anil Patil and S F Kakulte, executive and assistant engineers, respectively, with the bridges department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and Shitalaprasad Kori, then chief engineer (bridges).
In October 2016 then BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta had visited the FoB and asked for its beautification under the Swachha Bharat Abhiyan. A letter was sent to executive engineer Patil, asking him to examine structural stability of the bridge before the beautification work was undertaken. Patil did not act on it, the charge sheet alleged. Engineers were required to inspect the bridge twice a year, before and after monsoon, but this was not done by the accused, police claimed.
