Steel reinforcement cage for Metro pillar collapses in Mumbai, no injuries

The steel reinforcement cage for a pillar of the Thane-Wadala Metro Line 4 collapsed on the premises of a housing society in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.

No one was injured in the accident that occurred around 11 pm on Thursday at Suman Nagar Junction in the Chunabhatti area, they said.

According to an official, the 8-metre-high rebar reinforcement cage, secured with ropes tied to a concrete block, for pillar number 105C collapsed onto the compound wall of a housing society.

No one was injured, but the metal sheet of the society's security cabin was damaged, said an official of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), adding that a team rushed to the spot for an inspection.

MMRDA has ordered an independent investigation into the incident, which will be completed within two days, the official said.

The General Consultant DBEngineering-Hill-LBG, a German and US company, will conduct the investigation, and necessary action will be taken, the official said.

According to the MMRDA official, the bottom section of the cement concrete pillar had been built up to 4.5 metres, while work on the upper 8-metre reinforcement portion was still in progress when the incident occurred.

The official said a crane is usually used to hold the reinforcement cage in place. However, traffic police did not allow a crane at the busy junction, so the reinforcement was secured with ropes tied to a concrete block, the official said.

While dismantling temporary support structures (shuttering work), a metal fastener (turnbuckle) attached to the concrete block broke after being struck by an unknown object. This caused the ropes to loosen, and the reinforcement collapsed onto a nearby compound wall, the official added.

The Wadala-Thane Metro, also known as Metro 4, will be Mumbai's longest Metro line, spanning 32.32 kilometres with more than 30 stations.