By Krishna Dua 
Mumbai Metro Pillar Collapse: Probe Underway
A section of the under-construction Metro Line 6 (Swami Samarth Nagar–Vikhroli corridor) viaduct collapsed near Saki Naka in Andheri East, Mumbai, on the night of 12 February 2026. The incident occurred around 10:40 p.m. during night-time post-tensioning work on span 112–113, bringing down approximately 120–130 tonnes of pre-stressed concrete girders and deck slab onto Saki Vihar Road below. The falling structure crushed four cars, two autorickshaws and a BEST bus that were passing underneath at the time.
As of the morning of 9 February 2026, the official death toll stands at 11 (confirmed by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and Mumbai Police) and the number of injured is 28 (17 discharged, 11 still under treatment at Cooper Hospital and Seven Hills Hospital). Rescue operations concluded late on 13 February after 42 hours of continuous effort involving multiple agencies.
Timeline of the Collapse & Rescue Operation
- 12 Feb 2026, 22:40 hrs — Collapse occurs while stressing/post-tensioning work was in progress on the span
- 22:45 hrs — First emergency calls received; Mumbai Fire Brigade reaches site within 8 minutes
- 23:10 hrs — NDRF Team A (Thane) and Team B (Mumbai) mobilised; SDRF units from Kalyan and Navi Mumbai dispatched
- 13 Feb 00:30 hrs — First survivor (autorickshaw driver) rescued after nearly 2 hours trapped
- 13 Feb 04:15 hrs — Concrete debris cleared enough to extract four more trapped persons (three critical)
- 13 Feb 11:00 hrs — 250-tonne Liebherr crawler crane arrives from Navi Mumbai; second crane from Thane reaches at 14:30 hrs
- 13 Feb 19:45 hrs — Last body recovered (female BEST bus passenger)
- 13 Feb 23:20 hrs — Rescue officially declared over; site handed over to forensic & investigation teams
- 14 Feb 06:30 hrs — Mumbai Police & BMC complete initial spot survey; temporary traffic diversion still in place
Casualties & Injured Status (9 Feb morning)
Deceased (11)
- 4 passengers from BEST bus route 461 LTD (Andheri East–Ghatkopar)
- 3 occupants of Maruti Swift DZire (family returning from Vikhroli)
- 2 occupants of Hyundai Creta
- 1 autorickshaw driver
- 1 pedestrian on footpath
Injured (28)
- 11 still admitted (7 in ICU, 4 in general ward) — mostly crush injuries, fractures, head trauma
- 17 discharged after first aid / minor procedures
Government & Agency Response
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the site at 02:30 hrs on 13 February and announced:
- Ex-gratia ₹10 lakh to next of kin of deceased
- ₹2 lakh to each seriously injured person
- ₹50,000 to each person with minor injuries
- Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs & Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat announced a high-level central team would reach Mumbai on 14 February evening.
- Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) — suspended all night work on Metro Line 6 and ordered immediate safety audit of all ongoing viaduct spans across MMRDA projects.
- Mumbai Police registered an FIR under sections 304A (causing death by negligence), 337, 338 IPC and relevant provisions of the Metro Rail Act against the main contractor, the design consultant and the site engineers present during the collapse.
Contractor & Consultant Involved
- Main contractor: L&T Construction (Larsen & Toubro) — Mumbai Metro Line 6 Package S6–07
- Design & proof-checking consultant: AECOM (international) + sub-consultant from IIT Bombay
- Segmental launching gantry operator: Mammoet (specialised heavy-lift firm)
- Pre-stressing & post-tensioning sub-contractor: Freyssinet India
L&T issued a statement on 13 February afternoon:
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased and the injured. We are cooperating fully with all investigating agencies and have deployed our own forensic team to assist the inquiry.”
Technical & Safety Questions Raised
Preliminary observations by independent structural engineers (not official findings):
- Collapse appears to have initiated at the mid-span of the girder due to failure of post-tensioning cables or inadequate temporary supports during launching/stressing
- Span was being stressed on the night of 12 February — a high-risk activity
- Possible contributing factors: over-stressing, inadequate curing of segments, undetected honeycombing in concrete, or failure of temporary shoring
The Maharashtra government has constituted a three-member judicial inquiry commission headed by retired Bombay High Court judge Justice (Retd.) S.J. Kathawalla. The commission has been given six months to submit its report.
Current Status on Site & Traffic (14 Feb morning)
- Entire 400-metre stretch of Saki Vihar Road closed in both directions
- Traffic diverted via Marol Pipeline Road, Andheri-Kurla Road and Western Express Highway
- Temporary Bailey bridge construction started on 11 February; expected completion by 18 February
- Metro work halted on entire Line 6 corridor (Swami Samarth Nagar–Vikhroli) until further orders
Conclusion
The Saki Naka Metro viaduct collapse on 12 February 2026 remains one of the most serious construction accidents in Mumbai’s recent history. While rescue operations have concluded, the focus has now shifted to investigation, accountability, compensation and restoration of normalcy.
The tragedy has once again raised urgent questions about safety protocols during night-time launching and stressing operations on major infrastructure projects in densely populated urban areas. With the judicial commission beginning work and multiple agencies involved in parallel probes, the coming weeks and months will determine whether systemic changes are made to prevent similar incidents in the future.
For now, Mumbai continues to mourn the eleven lives lost and prays for the speedy recovery of the injured.