Andheri drain death: Mumbai civic body blames MMRCL, L&T

The high-level committee appointed by the BMC commissioner has blamed Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) and contractor L&T for the open drain in Andheri, which led to a woman's death during heavy rain last Wednesday. The report, however, also criticises K East ward officials for lacking vigilance during the red alert, given that it was a major road.

Vimal Gaikwad, the deceased

On September 25, during heavy rain, 45-year-old Vimal Gaikwad fell into a drain at 9.20 pm in the SEEPZ area of Andheri East, leading to her death. In response, civic chief Bhushan Gagrani appointed a high-level committee of BMC officials, led by Deputy Commissioner Devidas Kshirsagar, to submit a report within three days. The committee included Chief Fire Officer Ravindra Ambulgekar and Chief Engineer (Vigilance) Avinash Tambawagh.

After investigating, the committee submitted its report to the municipal commissioner on Monday. The findings stated that the site and surrounding area have been under MMRCL and L&T's control since 2015. The K East ward had informed L&T about defects found during site inspections. MMRCL is responsible for addressing any defects under the Defect Liability Period (DLP), and they were notified through letters on August 24 and 29, 2024. The committee concluded that L&T and MMRCL are responsible for rectifying the issues.

The BMC report also places partial responsibility on its own K East ward, stating that while action was taken periodically, ward officials should have been more vigilant during the red alert, given the road's importance. MMRCL spokesperson said, "We are not aware of the report. We will check the information regarding the BMC investigation report."