The foot overbridge that collapsed in Mumbai near the CST local train station on Thursday, 14 March, was audited and declared safe just six months ago, The Indian Express reported.
“I have sought a custody of documents related to the structural audit. Once I go through it, the further course of action will be decided… Strict action will be initiated if negligence is found, ” BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta told The Indian Express.
Six persons were killed and 31 injured after a section of a foot overbridge collapsed during the evening rush hour on Thursday.
The bridge connected the area near The Times of India building with the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus railway station. The injured have been admitted to nearby hospitals.
The deceased were identified as Apoorva Prabhu (35), Anjana Tambe (40), Bhakti Shinde (40), Zahid Shiraj Khan (32), Tapendra Singh (28) and Mohan, the disaster management cell of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) told PTI.
Prabhu and Tambe were employees of the GT Hospital.
A case has been registered against officials of Central Railway and the BMC in connection with the incident.
“We have registered an offence under Section 304A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC at the Azaad Maidan police station,” said Manjunath Singe, spokesperson of the Mumbai Police.
Civic authorities dismantled the remaining portion of the overbridge late Thursday night.
Additional Municipal Commissioner of the BMC, Vijay Singhal, said action will be taken against the firm that conducted the structural audit of the bridge.
Deven Bharti, Joint Commissioner (Law & Order), told PTI that police "will, for sure, launch an inquiry into the incident".
The tragedy comes eight months after another bridge collapsed in suburban Andheri, in which five persons were killed.
(With inputs from The Indian Express and PTI)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)