Man killed as portion of cladding collapses at railway station

A pedestrian was killed Wednesday after a portion of a cladding fell on him at the bustling Churchgate railway station here, officials said.

Madhukar Narvekar (62) was passing through Churchgate station building when the portion, part of the 81 ft x 54 ft mural of Mahatma Gandhi, fell on him, a railway official said.

Narvekar was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to injuries on his head and chest.

It was not clear if he was a railway commuter or just a passerby but in either case, compensation (amount) will be given, he said.

The cladding fell due to strong wind blowing from sea side and it could not withstand wind pressure, he said.

The cladding was part of the 81 ft x 54 ft mural of Mahatma Gandhi, installed in November 2017 at the station building, the official said.

It is the work of Brazilian street artist Eduardo Kobra who paid homage to Gandhi with the mural on the facade of Churchgate station. Kobra has also painted a mural of Nelson Mandela in Rome.

In October last year, four persons were killed after a 40-foot tall hoarding collapsed in Pune. The metal hoarding frame, installed on land belonging to the Pune railway department, collapsed when it was being cut.