Mumbai: Just two months after the fatal metro slab collapse in Mulund, a similar disaster was narrowly averted on Wednesday when a 400-tonne crane tilted while hoisting a 140-tonne girder at a metro construction site in the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), reportedly due to a mechanical failure.
While there were no casualties or injuries reported, vehicular traffic in the busy commercial district was severely disrupted, as authorities were forced to shut a 600-metre stretch of a key link road connecting Bandra and Kurla for more than 12 hours.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is overseeing the city’s expanding metro network, has fined contractor J Kumar Infraprojects Limited ₹1 crore. Confirming the incident, the agency said a “mechanical failure” caused the crane, which was lifting a pre-cast beam, to topple.
The incident occurred around 4.30 am near the Asian Heart Institute junction in the heart of BKC, where a station for the under-construction Metro 2B line (DN Nagar–Mandale) is coming up.
According to an MMRDA official, two 400-tonne cranes were launching a 140-tonne girder when one of them suffered a gear failure. As a result, the crane could not support the girder’s weight, so it tilted and fell onto a metro pillar. The other crane held the girder and slowly lowered it onto the road below, rather than letting it hang precariously, the official added.
Basavraj M Bhadragond, director (projects) for the metro network at MMRDA, said, “The 140-tonne girder was suspended midair when the primary boom (crane) failed, transferring the entire load onto a secondary boom. Unable to withstand the sudden pressure, the crane lost balance and tilted. The beam is not impacted even though the crane fell on it.”
When HT visited the site around 1 pm, multiple cranes, trailers and heavy equipment had been deployed as officials worked to remove the tilted crane, whose wheels were suspended mid-air. A 600-tonne crane was eventually mobilised to clear the toppled equipment.
During the operation, a 600-metre stretch of the BKC Road between the Asian Heart Institute junction and the Trident hotel was closed to traffic, triggering major congestion. The commercial hub sees a daily footfall of around 250,000 office-goers and an additional 300,000 visitors.
“The road was immediately closed and traffic diverted to prevent traffic jams,” said Priyanka Nanaware, additional commissioner of police (traffic). “Consequently, the southbound and northbound carriageways were temporarily closed, and the northbound traffic was diverted.”
Officials said the crane was finally stabilised and brought down around 9.15 pm—nearly 17 hours after the incident. However, the road stretch remained closed.
Engineers at the site said space constraints posed significant challenges. “There is a bullet train site on one side and office buildings on the other, leaving little room to position such large cranes. We are forced to place them on the road,” said an engineer, requesting anonymity.
Contractor J Kumar confirmed the incident, which it said occurred “due to an unforeseen mechanical failure” and not a quality-related issue. “The crane involved was certified and fully capable of bearing the beam’s load capacity, causing the beam to collapse prior to placement. While this is an undesired and unfortunate incident, no fatalities or injuries occurred. Our teams are on-site, taking all necessary precautions to safely remove the tilted crane and secure the precast elements, proceeding with utmost caution,” the statement read.
“All required health, safety and operational protocols were in place at the time of the incident and continue to guide our operations. We are working in close coordination with MMRDA, the traffic department and all relevant government authorities to support the response and restore normalcy in the affected area. The safety of our team, the public, and everyone at the site remains our highest priority,” the statement added.
There was a similar incident on April 8, when another heavy hydraulic crane overturned on the Kopri flyover along the Eastern Express Highway in Thane, disrupting traffic movement towards Mumbai and causing significant congestion in the area.
Wednesday’s incident also brought back memories of the February 14 slab collapse at the Metro 4 site in Mulund. A concrete parapet slab from the under-construction viaduct collapsed and fell on an autorickshaw and a car on LBS Road, killing one person and injuring three others.
MMRDA had faced significant criticism at the time, with citizens flagging concerns over construction quality and safety standards on social media.