At least 17 crushed to death in Thane crane collapse

At least 17 persons were killed and three persons were injured after a girder-launching crane collapsed in the Shahapur town of Thane district near Mumbai late on Monday night.

The work in progress was part of the Samruddhi Corridor.

The crane collapsed from a height of 90 to 100 feet.

Three persons, who were rescued from the debris, are undergoing treatment in local hospitals.

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At least five to six persons are still reported to be missing. The Maharashtra government has launched a probe into the incident.

According to available information, around 25-27 persons work in one shift at the site.

“Seventeen persons were killed and three others were injured and four to five persons are trapped,” Shahapur MLA Daulat Daroda told reporters at the crash site.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and two Deputy Chief Ministers - Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar spoke to Daroda to have an assessment of the situation. Minister Dadaji Bhuse visited the crash site and the hospital and spoke to the victims.

Thane District Collector Ashok Shingare visited the spot and oversaw the search and rescue operations.

The crane collapsed around 2300 hrs.

The victims are migrant workers, according to locals.

Teams of NDRF, SDRF and Thane Municipal Corporation are working at the site.

The machine was being used in the construction of Phase III of the Samruddhi Mahamarg.

The 701-km-long Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Expressway, which is formally known as Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, is in the final stages of construction.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF will be given to the next of kin of each deceased while the injured persons would get Rs. 50,000.
“Pained by the tragic mishap in Shahapur, Maharashtra. My deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are injured. NDRF and local administration are working at the site of the mishap and all possible measures are being taken to ensure proper assistance to those affected,” said Modi.

Pained by the tragic mishap in Shahapur, Maharashtra. My deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are injured. NDRF and local administration are working at the site of the mishap and all possible measures are…

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 1, 2023

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased. The state government would also take care of medical expenses of the injured workers.

The Phase-I of the project from Nagpur to Shirdi was inaugurated on 11 December, 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Nagpur-Shirdi stretch is around 520 kms.

On 26 May, 2023, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the Phase-II of the expressway from Shirdi to Igatpuri in Nashik district, a distance of around 80 kms.

With 600 kms complete, the focus is now the connection between Igatpuri and Mumbai - a distance of 101 kms.
In another few months, Phase-III is expected to be ready.

The 701 Km expressway - being built at an cost of about Rs 55,000 crore - is one of India's longest expressways, passing through Maharashtra’s 10 districts and prominent urban regions of Amravati, Aurangabad and Nashik.