BMC takes down structure, baffles experts

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday dismantled the remains of the Himalaya foot overbridge before the police and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) investigation is completed. Experts have raised questions stated that the investigation would be futile if the main evidence was lost. The entire frame of the bridge was brought down late on Friday night.

However, A ward’s assistant municipal commissioner Kiran Dighavkar said, “The remains of the bridge will be kept in BMC’s godown so that investigation can be carried out.” “We want to open DN Road for traffic as soon as possible,” he added.

Senior advocate and housing expert Vinod Sampat said, “There will be no proper findings when the main evidence is killed. A proper investigation would have been possible only if the broken part of the bridge was in its original place for experts to inspect it and see what caused its sudden collapse.”

Deputy municipal commissioner Harshad Kale had told The Asian Age that new private consultants were brought in on Thursday night to inspect what caused the bridge to collapse.

In broad daylight small plants could be seen growing on the bridge, however, no major cracks were visible on the structure.

Mr Sampat said, “Minor repairs and anti-erosion paints make the structure look good from the outside. Major damage was not seen. By dismantling the entire bridge, the civic body will safeguard its senior officers, the heads of departments and only junior officers will be booked for negligence.”

“Junior officers will work only if the senior-most officers are punished, which BMC never does. Even after the Andheri bridge collapse, the police haven’t taken any action against the BMC or Railway officers. Filing an FIR and investigations are just
eyewash, the advocate added.