Mumbai Bridge Collapse: This is third such tragedy in two years in Mumbai
The foot overbridge collapse on Thursday evening in Mumbai near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) railway station, which killed six people and injured dozens, has yet again reminded Mumbaikars of the civic mess in an overcrowded city.
The bridge collapsed at around 7:30 pm and more than 40 people may have fallen from the bridge when it collapsed, eyewitness said.
Rajesh Yawalkar from Jalgaon recalled how he and other locals pulled out people from the rubble.
"The bridge collapsed in front of me with a strong thud. There were more than 20 people under the bridge when it collapsed. I could see a woman with a baby, and a few hawkers selling bananas under the bridge. A woman who worked at the GT Hospital was also under the bridge," he said.
Two women killed in the Mumbai bridge collapse worked at the GT hospital where the injured people were taken. Some of the people injured in the incident were also taken to St George's Hospital.
"Some people fell down from the bridge. After the collapse, chaos ensued," he explained.
"A taxi was under the bridge and people got trapped," he said, and added, "I along with other locals helped pull them out of the rubble and took at least 10 people to the ambulance."
"There might have been some people who would have died at the spot," he added.
This is third such tragedy in two years in Mumbai. A bridge collapse in Andheri last year in July left five people injured, while a stampede at a railway bridge at Elphinstone station bridge in 2017 killed 22 people and over 30 were seriously injured.
Nishant, another eyewitness, who works at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal, told NDTV that he was coming back from the office when the incident happened.
"Fortunately, I don't take the bridge. As the bridge collapsed, I could see injured people being taken to the ambulance. Some locals were causing hindrance," he said.
"CMST bridge is a packed in peak hours as is any other Mumbai bridge. There must have been at least 40-50 people who would have fallen," he added.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has assured a speedy probe in the incident.
A first information report or FIR has been filed against officials concerned of the Central Railway and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation under section 304A (Causing death by negligence) of IPC at Azaad Maidan Police Station.