Mumbai, March 14: The foot overbridge collapsed in Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus on Thursday, killing five people. The incident took on the wee hours at around 7:20 pm when around 400-500 people were around the foot over bridge. Soon after the incident, emergency services were pressed in and the National Disaster Response Force arrived at the spot.
Initial reports state that five people succumbed to injuries while 34 others are still being medically treated at St George Hospital. Fire tenders too have reached the spot, and Mumbai police have blocked the area. To help the ailing people, the BMC – which takes care of the FoB – has issued a helpline number – 9833806409. Foot Over Bridge in Mumbai Outside CSMT Railway Station Collapses, Live News & Updates: 5 Dead, 36 Injured; PM Narendra Modi Reacts to Fatal Incident.
With the shocking incident taking place within months after the Andheri over bridge collapse, let’s looks at similar incidences happened in the past.
1: Andheri Road Over Bridge Collapse:
A similar incident of the road overbridge collapsed in Mumbai’s suburban Andheri area in July 2018, at around 7:30 am due to ‘heavy rain’. Though no casualty was reported in the collapse, local trains were halted in both the Western and Harbour lines on the wee hours. Also, some long-distance express trains were cancelled and rescheduled. Though the repair works started soon after that, the questions were raised why did the BMC wait till the portions of bridges were collapsed.
2: Lower Parel station Rail Over Bridge Stampede:
Another similar incident took place in Parel on July 25, 2018, when a stampede-like situation was created after a road overbridge (RoB) was shut for vehicular traffic as well for the pedestrians ‘without’ notice. It is to be known that even after the bridge was damaged and officials held several rounds of meetings, there was neither signage nor personnel to direct the crowds. Following the collapse of Gokhale Bridge collapse, officials found the 1921-built bridge unsafe for people, but forgot to inform the people on when they would be repairing it.
3: Curry Road Station Mishap:
On January 3, 2018, a minor mishap took place at Currey Road station when a piling rig machine tilted and fell on a suburban local. Reports stated that the rig collapsed on a local train around 4 pm, an hour before the state-wide bandh was called off. Although no casualties were reported, the incident resulted in minor delays.
4: Elphinstone Road station stampede:
In the saddest incident in the last decade, 24 people were killed, and 35 others were injured after a stampede broke out on a crowded pedestrian bridge connecting two railway station in Mumbai on September 29, 2017. Reports suggest that people may have panicked during the morning rush after there was a rumour that there might be a livewire or the bridge was about to fall.
5: Vasai Railway Station Drainage Collapse:
With the collapse of Vasai drainage cover on May 31, 2016, the Manikpur police had written a letter to the Indian Railways seeking information on who had inspected the drainage cover. The drainage slab had collapsed near the FOB at Vasai Railway Station Bridge. In the incident, at least 15 passengers waiting for the train, fell in a drain and suffered injuries outside the Vasai railway station, when the drain slab caved in.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 14, 2019 10:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).