Mumbai CST bridge collapse: Papers expose contractor's role

BMC's payment certificate shows that Veetrag Enterprises commenced repair on the bridge more than a month before the work order was issued, raising questions about the nature and quality of the work

While structural auditor Neeraj Desai, who was primarily held responsible for the collapse of the CST foot over bridge remains in judicial custody, certain documents now seem to indicate that Veetrag Enterprises, the contractor who had carried out refurbishment work on the bridge, and civic officials may have had a role in the incident. The documents, which include the payment certificate and the purchase order for the project, indicate the refurbishment work was taken up weeks before the work order was issued.

Following a letter sent by Kiran Dighavkar, the assistant municipal commissioner of A ward to the Bridges Department, BMC chief Ajoy Mehta had visited the CST FOB on October 25, 2016 and given instructions to beautify it since it looked shabby. The refurbishment of the FOB included replacing the existing tiles, repairing the hand railing, and painting the bridge structure. The letter mentioned that the Bridges Department should look into the necessary structural repairs, "In this subject matter, if any structural repairs are required from the point of view of stability, it may be rectified though your departments at the earliest before commencement of beautification work. Accordingly, remarks of the Bridges Department are requested."

Also Read: Mumbai: CST bridge collapse reminds infra agencies to conduct audits

As per the payment certificate, Veetrag Enterprises worked on the bridge between November 9, 2016 and March 31, 2017

Taken up in a hurry?
However, as per the payment certificate, Veetrag Enterprises started work on the bridge just five days later. The certificate states the project was completed between November 9, 2016 and March 31, 2017. But, another document shows the work order [purchase order] was issued more than a month later, on December 22, 2016. A civic official named in the preliminary inquiry claimed A ward officials took up the work in a hurry without waiting for the Bridges Department's response.

"We received the letter a day after it was sent. Four days later, Veetrag started the work without waiting for our reply. How can the contractor be allowed to start work weeks before the work order is issued?" said the official. The official further claimed the Bridges Department had verbally informed A ward officials that since Desai's consultants were auditing the bridges in the city, their observations about the CST FOB would be shared once the preliminary report was submitted.

However, the purchase order was issued more than a month later on December 22, 2016

Letter to CR
Dighavkar remained unavailable for comment. Another official from A ward refuted the allegations and said there may be an error in the payment certificate. To prove the work didn't start earlier, the official cited a letter sent to the Central Railways requesting the bridge be closed to the public between December 22, 2016 and January 10, 2017.
Similar to the official, Ashok Jain, head of Veetrag Enterprises, said they hadn't started the work on November 9, 2016. "We started acquiring the material required for the work a few days before the work order was issued. But, we started the work after December 22," he said.

'Hurriedly demolished'
Meanwhile, Desai's advocate Rizwan Merchant also raised allegations against Veetrag saying they had compromised the structural stability of the FOB. He claimed Veetrag replaced all the tiles, including the material under them, which was not necessary. "Instead of the earlier tiles, he put 25-30 mm thick granite stones. The entire weight on the deck of the bridge is bound to have increased. Ordinary tiles are around 12-15 mm thick, but in the police station they [Veetrag] have given a wrong statement by saying that he replaced the previous tiles with 15 mm thick tiles," he said.

He further alleged the civic administration had hurriedly demolished the remaining portion of the bridge to hide the truth. "The removal of the bridge was a conspiracy deliberately done to prevent auditors from examining the rusted portion. The forensic audit I have asked for from IIT, PEATA (Practicing Engineers Architects and Town Planners Association) and ISSE (Indian Society of Structural Engineers) cannot happen because they will not get access to the portion that has been cut down and taken away by the BMC," he said.

Merchant also stated that Bridges Department officials failed to carry out the necessary repairs even after Desai highlighted the portions that required structural correction and attention in his report. He said he is likely to file a separate complaint next week against Mehta, chief engineer Sanjay Darade and Dighavkar.

Also Read: CST bridge collapse: Zebra crossing offers a temporary solution outside the railway station

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