Excavator operator buried in debris as construction site caves in Palghar

The incident took place at around 7.30pm during the tunnel shaft excavation work at the Surya water supply project site in Sasun Navghar village, located around 50km from Mumbai. The police said efforts were on to rescue the person. However, officers strongly suspect the excavator operator has died

Mumbai: A 38-year-old excavator machine operator is suspected to have died after being trapped in a 60-feet deep trench following the soil and wall structure collapse at a water supply project site in Vasai, Palghar district on Wednesday night.

Excavator operator buried in debris as construction site caves in Palghar

The incident took place at around 7.30pm during the tunnel shaft excavation work at the Surya water supply project site in Sasun Navghar village, located around 50km from Mumbai. The police said efforts were on to rescue the person. However, officers strongly suspect the excavator operator has died.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was engaged in the rescue operation with other local agencies to trace the operator- Rakesh Yadav. The Surya Regional Water Supply Scheme is an initiative of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), envisioned to provide drinking water to the ever-increasing population in the MMR region, as per officials.

Eyewitnesses told the police that as the tunnel shaft excavation work was underway, the soil and wall structure collapsed on the excavator machine, trapping its operator under the debris.

There were six other workers present at the spot but as their shift was over at 6pm, they had subsequently gone back up on the surface of the trench while Yadav stayed down to operate the excavator, which was transferring debris from the work area. The workers said that they had been hired by the contractor for laying the pipeline of the Surya Water Supply Project along the Versova Bay Bridge near Vasai. The work is being done through private firms like Larsen & Toubro.

After the incident, the workers alerted the police and the fire brigade after which teams belonging to the MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) and the NDRF reached the spot. Due to the rising water levels in the over 60-feet deep trench, however, it is proving difficult for the rescue workers to locate Yadav’s body that is suspected of being stuck there. “We are making attempts to recover the body, however, since the trench is over 60 feet deep, and due to the rising water levels, it is becoming a difficult task,” said an NDRF officer who was present at the spot.

Yadav, who is a native of Uttar Pradesh, stayed at Naigaon near his sister while his family stayed in UP. Yadav’s brother Durgesh, who is a resident of Kalyan reached the spot waiting to see his brother. “The police and the company that has undertaken the work did not act swiftly. It has been over 12 hours but the rescue operations have not yet begun,” Durgesh claimed.

Poornima Chougule Shringi, deputy commissioner of police (Zone 2) Mira-Bhayander-Vasai-Virar (MBVV) police, said that the police are investigating whether any negligence was involved in the incident. “We will register a case if we find any negligence in the matter,” said Shringi.

According to a statement released by The Metropolitan Commissioner of the (MMRDA), he had promptly taken cognisance of the incident. The MMRDA had promptly notified the local authorities, including the police, fire brigade, and the Collector’s office, according to it.

The MMRDA swiftly commenced rescue operations using the available resources at the site. Additionally, the NDRF was informed through the Collector’s office during the night. The NDRF team arrived at the site at approximately 5:00 am to assist with the ongoing rescue efforts.

MMRDA engineers are actively coordinating with district authorities to provide the necessary assistance and oversee the rescue operations. The team has been on-site, continuously monitoring the situation since the incident occurred.

Expert investigation:

In order to conduct a thorough inspection and ascertain the cause of the incident, MMRDA has engaged Prof. Abhay Bambole, Head of the Structural Engineering Department at VJTI. Prof. Bambole visited the site and is expected to submit a detailed report on his findings soon. The rescue operation remains a top priority, with efforts focused on safely extricating the trapped operator. The combined efforts of MMRDA, NDRF, and local authorities are crucial in managing this emergency and ensuring the safety of all personnel involved.

MMRDA is committed to ensuring the safety of its workers and will take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents in the future. Further details will be provided as the investigation progresses and more information becomes available, the statement said.