‘Zero tolerance’ to U-turn: MMRDA quietly retains Metro Line 4 consultant it threatened to sack after fatal Mulund slab collapse

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(Express Photo by Deepak Joshi) Make us preferred source on Google Whatsapp twitter Facebook Reddit PRINT In a reversal of its earlier stance following the fatal Mulund metro slab collapse, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has decided to continue with the services of DB Hill–LBG consortium as the general consultant for Metro Line 4. The consortium, comprising Deutsche Bahn Engineering & Consulting, Hill International, and Louis Berger Group, has been responsible for monitoring construction and ensuring safety since being awarded the contract in 2018. It also oversees additional stretches, including the extended Line 4A and serves as consultant on other metro corridors. This comes weeks after the authority signalled strict action, including a proposed termination, in the aftermath of the February 14 incident in Mulund, when a parapet wall slab fell onto LBS Road, killing one person and injuring three others. The victims — Ramdhani Yadav, 50, who died in the incident, and his relatives Rajkumar Indrajeet Yadav, 45, and Mahendra Pratap Yadav, 52, who were critically injured — were travelling in a rickshaw when the slab collapsed. A fourth person, Deepa Rula, 40, who was in a car nearby, was discharged shortly after the incident. Following the accident, MMRDA had imposed a Rs 1 crore fine on the general consultant and, in an Authority meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, declared its intention to terminate the consortium. The move was then described as a “sign of zero tolerance policy towards safety violations and work site accidents.” Officials now say the earlier announcement was based on a “misunderstanding.” While the consortium’s request for additional time to complete the project is still under review, it has not been removed from the project. Instead, it continues to oversee the Wadala–Kasarvadavali stretch, where work has resumed albeit at a slower pace, partly due to the ongoing West Asia conflict. According to senior officials, instead of termination, corrective measures were pursued. When asked whether the services of DB Hill–LBG consortium as the general consultant for Metro Line 4 were being retained, commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee confirmed. “The MMRDA held several high level meetings with the DB Hill LBG consortium, in which changes were promised. Several senior members of the team working on Line 4 have been replaced,” said a senior MMRDA official. “Work on the line has resumed, although it is slow due to the West Asia conflict. The pace of all infrastructure projects have slowed down due to it.” A reason behind keeping the consultant intact, hinted the official, is that the MMRDA depends on a handful of consultants for its metro projects; terminating or blacklisting one would narrow the pool further. Investigations into the accident revealed that the slab collapse was triggered after the connections securing it to the viaduct were accidentally cut by a welder the night before. In the 11 hours that followed, neither the consultant nor MMRDA engineers intervened before the slab fell. In its report to the Bombay High Court, MMRDA placed primary blame on the contractor: “There was procedural non-compliance by RAJV (contractor) and insufficient site supervision by the General Consultant during construction activity.” It recommended replacing the entire team responsible for the stretch between Gandhi Nagar and Sonapur. The probe also flagged lapses within MMRDA’s own ranks, citing inadequate site visits by engineers. Three officials — chief engineer Abhijit Bhishikar, deputy engineer Snehal Sawant, and executive engineer Satyajit Salve — were identified, while a departmental inquiry was ordered against chief engineer Madhukar Kharat. The three are expected to be reinstated soon, officials said. Despite the lapses, a subsequent intensive inspection of the corridor did not reveal any major structural stability concerns. After over two months in hospital, victims Rajkumar and Mahendra were discharged around ten days ago from the Upasani Hospital, Mulund. “Rajkumar continues to get therapy a few times a week by doctors who come over,” said Sarvesh, a relative. “He still cannot properly move his left arm and is confined to a wheelchair. But he is talking and eating. Mahendra is comparatively better.” Both the patients with their family reside in a rented home in Thane, the rent paid by the subcontractor Milan Road Buildtech, which also paid for the hospital bills of the patient. The four injured who were in a car, Deepa Rula, 40, was discharged soon after the incident. Apart from hospital bills and rent, the injured have not been paid any compensation yet, although the family says talks are on with the subcontractor. Sabah Virani is a journalist with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau, covering infrastructure, housing and urban issues. In the realms of technical fields, she brings out human stories and the pace of change ongoing in the city. Expertise Specialised Role: Tracking infrastructure in Mumbai and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Sabah’s reporting tracks progress on various projects. From bridges to metros, she mixes technical details with resourceful information. Core coverage areas: Sabah keeps a close eye on the activities of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and its projects across the MMR, including the metros, road projects, bridges, the bullet train, pod taxi, its role as a planning authority, and more. She also watches for developments from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) and the GoM’s Urban Development department. Housing: Sabah also tracks developments in housing, particularly the workings of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). She also keeps a keen watch on the big redevelopment projects ongoing in Mumbai, including the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, Motilal Nagar, Kamathipura, BDD Chawl redevelopment, among others. Occasionally, she reports on the environment, biodiversity, waste, arts and culture. Experience: Prior to working for the Indian Express, Sabah covered the municipality, civic issues and miscellaneous for Hindustan Times. Before that, she covered all things Mumbai for the online publication Citizen Matters. She has also worked as an editorial assistant at FiftyTwo.in.   ... Read More Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram