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• The BMC will impose an INR 3 crore penalty on contractor Larsen & Toubro after two workers died at a Coastal Road Phase 2 casting yard.
• The accident occurred earlier this month at a gantry crane platform in Bhayander West linked to the Mumbai Coastal Road project.
• A probe by VJTI identified multiple safety lapses, including inadequate structural support and insufficient safety systems.
• Civic authorities have ordered corrective measures and initiated wider safety audits across project construction sites.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to impose a penalty of INR 3 crore on contractor Larsen & Toubro following the deaths of two workers at a casting yard associated with the Mumbai Coastal Road Phase 2 project earlier this month. The civic body’s action follows an investigation that identified multiple safety lapses at the construction site in Bhayander West. Advertisement
The accident occurred on May 2 when two workers, identified as Raghunath Das and Kanha Singh, fell nearly 35 feet to the ground after a maintenance platform attached to an industrial gantry crane collapsed during routine inspection work. The workers were reportedly engaged in inspection activities at the casting yard used for Coastal Road Phase 2 construction works.
The BMC subsequently appointed Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) to conduct a technical investigation into the incident. According to civic officials, the institute’s report highlighted several deficiencies in structural safety systems and maintenance protocols at the site. Investigators reportedly found that the crane platform lacked adequate load-bearing capacity and that certain structural components did not meet required safety standards.
Officials stated that the investigation also identified problems linked to the fastening system used in the crane assembly. Reports indicated that M10 bolts had been used in sections where stronger M12 bolts were required, increasing the risk of structural instability under operational loads. The inquiry additionally found that railings installed on the maintenance platform were not of sufficient height to ensure worker safety.
Although the workers were wearing safety harnesses, officials stated that the harnesses had been attached only to cable railings rather than dedicated lifeline systems. VJTI consequently recommended immediate installation of specialised safety cables to which workers could securely fasten harnesses while operating at elevated heights. The institute also suggested additional reinforcement measures, including extended railing structures and supplementary support systems for the gantry crane platform.
A senior civic official stated that the VJTI report had been forwarded to the municipal commissioner’s office for review and that a formal penalty notice would subsequently be issued to the contractor. The BMC also plans to immediately communicate the institute’s technical recommendations to ensure corrective measures are implemented without delay.
Following the incident, the BMC appointed an independent third-party agency to conduct safety audits across all casting yards and construction facilities associated with the Coastal Road project. Officials stated that the external review would assess structural stability, worker safety systems and compliance with construction safety protocols at project sites.
The latest accident has intensified concerns over recurring safety incidents linked to major infrastructure projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. In recent months, authorities have imposed penalties in multiple cases involving worker deaths, structural failures and construction-related accidents across road, metro and elevated corridor projects in Mumbai.
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