Mumbai bridge collapse: They saved others’ lives, but infra killed them

Families and friends give teary-eyed farewell to the three nurses who died on their way to work at GT Hospital

Dombivli came out in large numbers on Friday to pay tributes to their three residents – all nurses at GT Hospital – who died in the bridge collapse outside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on Thursday. The final rites on the three women – Bhakti Shinde, 40, Ranjana Tambe, 40, and Apoorva Prabhu, 35, – were performed at the Shivamandir cemetery.

Family of Bhakti Shinde, one of the nurses killed in the bridge collapse on Thursday, during her final rites at Dombivli. (HT photo)

Residents of Om Sai Datta on Din Dayal cross road, where Bhakti Shinde lived, are still to come to terms with the loss. “Her 12-year-old son, Omkar, was with me, while her husband was looking for her at the hospital, clueless about her death till 9.30pm. He spoke to his mother minutes before she got onto the bridge,” said Seema Shinde, 60, a neighbour.

Bhakti’s husband Rajendra, who works as a salesman in a private firm, was inconsolable. “Bhakti had just recovered from a back operation. She loved her work and often shared her experiences with me. I remember talking to her a day before the incident,” said Seema Shinde. “She was very helpful. She had earlier worked in Dombivli’s Shastrinagar hospital,” said Pramila Sangoi, 38, another neighbour.

Apoorva Prabhu’s neighbours remembered her as a polite woman, who kept to herself. Her neighbour from Udayraj apartment at Bedekar lane said, “The family has been living here for the past 16 years. We have never heard any complaint about them. Apoorva was dedicated towards her job and paid keen attention to her children’s studies.”

On January 26, Apoorva won the state government’s best nurse award. Ranjana Tambe lived with her mother at Siddhi Shivsagar complex, Ganesh Nagar, Dombivli (West). “Despite being physically challenged, she travelled to CSMT daily. She loved taking care of people. Her elder sister passed away in a road accident four years ago,” said a relative.