MMRDA Fines Contractor ₹25 Lakh After Crane Fall
A hydraulic crane collapsed during demolition work at an unsafe building in Mumbai’s Kurla area, injuring at least 10 people and damaging nearby hutments, vehicles and railway infrastructure. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has imposed a ₹25 lakh penalty on the contractor responsible for the demolition work.
Kurla Crane Collapse Injures 10 People
The accident occurred while demolition work was underway at an incomplete residential building in Kurla. The crane toppled towards an adjoining settlement and came into contact with railway overhead equipment on the Kurla-Trombay section.
Several hutments, the compound wall of an MHADA building and three to four parked vehicles were damaged. Among those injured was a three-month-old infant. Authorities said medical assistance was being provided to those affected.
MMRDA Imposes ₹25 Lakh Penalty
MMRDA directed the demolition contractor to bear the necessary medical expenses of the injured. The company has also been ordered to cover repairs or compensation for hutments and vehicles damaged in the crane collapse.
The development authority said action had been initiated under applicable contractual provisions and safety requirements. A penalty of ₹25 lakh has been imposed, while additional action could follow depending on the findings of the investigation into the accident.
Unsafe Kurla Building Was Set for Demolition
The incomplete building was originally constructed in 2005 under a Slum Rehabilitation Scheme. The ground-plus-16-storey structure included six wings and approximately 500 residential tenements but was never brought into regular occupancy.
After the original developer faced financial distress and bankruptcy, the property was handed over to MMRDA. The structure was subsequently identified as unsafe, and a demolition contract was awarded with instructions for manual dismantling.
Authorities are now examining the circumstances surrounding the crane collapse and the safety arrangements followed during demolition.
