MahaMetro to fix penalty on contractor for Nashik Phata piling rig collapse on Monday

PIMPRI CHINCHWAD: The Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MahaMetro) will decide on Monday the quantum of penalty on the contractor for Saturday’s piling rig accident.

“We are studying the contractor’s lapses that resulted in the mishap, and accordingly will penalize him by tomorrow. We have asked the site supervisor and the rig’s driver to stay away from the site until further instructions,” MahaMetro executive director Ramnath Subramaniam told TOI on Sunday.


Datta Sane, the opposition leader in the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, had on Saturday demanded that MahaMetro conduct construction work only at night, when there is less vehicular traffic, and that too with full safety measures.

“We keep the grade separator closed to traffic near Nashik Phata Chowk to enable our workers to carry out the construction work. The service road is open to traffic. We prepare the segments for the viaduct spans during the day. We transport these segments from the Pimple Gurav casting yard at night over the highway. We need to work 24 hours a day to meet the completion deadline. We will take all safety measures to prevent future mishaps,” Subramaniam said.

“We will write to MahaMetro (on Monday), directing them to take strict safety measures,” said Vijay Bhojane, spokesperson of the BRTS cell.

Meanwhile, the youth wing of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) staged a demonstration at Nashik Phata on Sunday to protest against the alleged negligence of PCMC and the ruling party. Sanjog Waghire, PCMC unit president, former and sitting corporators and workers participated in the demonstration.