Mumbai: 17 days on excavator operator trapped under debris remains untraceable | Mumbai News – Times of India
MUMBAI: Seventeen days after excavator operator Rakesh kumar Yadav, working on the Surya water pipeline site near the Varsova creek bridge on the Thane Ghodbunder Road junction, was feared trapped along with the machine after a portion of the soil caved in, the Indian Army and Navy have been called to carry out search operations. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the site on Friday and promised action against those found guilty.
Excavator operators had blamed the site engineers of Larsen and Toubro—the company that bagged the contract—for ignoring their warnings about the unstable soil condition when digging was in progress on the morning of May 29.
The project is part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) bulk water scheme (403 mld) for the Vasai-Virar and Mira-Bhayander regions, which have been facing acute water shortages for a long time. The laying of the 88 km pipeline and Master Balancing Reservoirs at Mira-Bhayander and Vasai-Virar at Ghodbunder, Chene, and Kashidkoper in Vasai is underway.
The soil caved in at around 9.30 pm when the work of laying the pipeline was underway. The excavator was being lowered into the shaft to load out material from the tunneling process. The soil and over 1,500-tonne wall gave way, and the machine plummeted to the bottom of the shaft along with the operator. A portable office container at the site also fell into the excavation. Locals in and around the site rushed to rescue the six workers trapped inside the container office. Eyewitnesses said that though the container collapsed, it was not covered with debris, making it possible to rescue the workers.
The JCB, along with the driver, was completely buried inside the debris. The Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) firemen, along with the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), initially carried out the search operation. Shinde said the Indian armed forces have now been called to help locate Yadav and the JCB machine.
Yadav’s family alleged that the search operation was discontinued four days ago and that JCB machines returned to the site on Thursday night, ahead of the CM’s visit.
Palghar District Collector Govind Bodke said that various agencies are carrying out the search operation. A team from VJTI visited the site and inspected the site conditions and structural stability, and their report is awaited. He said that the work of connecting the underground pipeline to the Thane creek was underway when the incident took place.
Shinde told media persons that based on the VJTI report, further action will be taken. He said that the priority is to find Yadav. He said L&T has been instructed to give a Rs 50 lakh compensation to the family. A member of the Yadav family will also be provided a job in L&T.
Excavator operators had blamed the site engineers of Larsen and Toubro—the company that bagged the contract—for ignoring their warnings about the unstable soil condition when digging was in progress on the morning of May 29.
The project is part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) bulk water scheme (403 mld) for the Vasai-Virar and Mira-Bhayander regions, which have been facing acute water shortages for a long time. The laying of the 88 km pipeline and Master Balancing Reservoirs at Mira-Bhayander and Vasai-Virar at Ghodbunder, Chene, and Kashidkoper in Vasai is underway.
The soil caved in at around 9.30 pm when the work of laying the pipeline was underway. The excavator was being lowered into the shaft to load out material from the tunneling process. The soil and over 1,500-tonne wall gave way, and the machine plummeted to the bottom of the shaft along with the operator. A portable office container at the site also fell into the excavation. Locals in and around the site rushed to rescue the six workers trapped inside the container office. Eyewitnesses said that though the container collapsed, it was not covered with debris, making it possible to rescue the workers.
The JCB, along with the driver, was completely buried inside the debris. The Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) firemen, along with the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), initially carried out the search operation. Shinde said the Indian armed forces have now been called to help locate Yadav and the JCB machine.
Yadav’s family alleged that the search operation was discontinued four days ago and that JCB machines returned to the site on Thursday night, ahead of the CM’s visit.
Palghar District Collector Govind Bodke said that various agencies are carrying out the search operation. A team from VJTI visited the site and inspected the site conditions and structural stability, and their report is awaited. He said that the work of connecting the underground pipeline to the Thane creek was underway when the incident took place.
Shinde told media persons that based on the VJTI report, further action will be taken. He said that the priority is to find Yadav. He said L&T has been instructed to give a Rs 50 lakh compensation to the family. A member of the Yadav family will also be provided a job in L&T.
