Andheri Drain Accident: High-Level Inquiry Blames MMRCL and Contractor for Woman's Death

A high-level committee appointed to investigate the tragic death of a woman who fell into a stormwater drain in Andheri has found the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) and its contractor, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), at fault. The inquiry determined that both MMRCL and L&T are responsible for addressing the faults at the accident site.

The incident occurred during heavy rainfall on the evening of September 25 in the SEEPZ area of Andheri (East). The victim, identified as Vimal Gaikwad, fell into an open stormwater drain and tragically lost her life. Despite being rescued by the Mumbai Fire Brigade and rushed to Cooper Hospital, she was declared dead on arrival.

Following the incident, Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani ordered the formation of a three-member inquiry committee to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a report within three days. The committee was chaired by Circle 3 Deputy Commissioner Devidas Kshirsagar, with Chief Fire Officer Ravindra Ambulgekar and Chief Engineer (Vigilance) Avinash Tambevagh as members.

The committee’s investigation revealed that the SEEPZ area, under L&T’s control since 2015 as part of MMRCL’s ongoing metro project, had multiple faults that had not been rectified. During site inspections, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) K East Ward informed L&T and MMRCL about these issues. Letters sent on August 24 and August 29, 2024, clarified that fixing the problems during the Defect Liability Period (DLP) was their responsibility.

The committee highlighted that despite warnings and red alerts for heavy rainfall, the concerned municipal employees did not exhibit sufficient vigilance on this major road. The report concluded that both L&T and MMRCL must now take responsibility for the necessary corrective actions at the site.