Mumbai Police arrests BMC officer who supervised audit of collapsed Footover bridge near CSMT station

Days after an auditor in Mumbai bridge collapse incident was arrested, Mumbai police on Monday arrested a BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) employee in the matter. The BMC employee identified as AP Kakuke is an assistant engineer with the Bridges Department of the governing civic body of Mumbai, and was arrested by the Azad Maidan police on Monday evening. 

As per reports, he was assigned to supervise the audit of the ill-fated foot over bridge near the CSMT station which collapsed on March 14 in which six people lost their lives and several were left injured.

Structural auditor Neeraj Desai was arrested on March 18 under IPC 304(2) in connection with the foot overbridge collapse. His firm had reportedly carried out the structural audit of the bridge and declared it safe for use despite some corrosion in the structure, police told following his arrest in Mumbai. 

READ: Auditor Of The Collapsed CST Bridge, Neeraj Desai Arrested By Mumbai Police

"After an initial investigation, we have come to know that experts ho had done structural audit knew that such an incident could happen. We have added IPC 304(2) in this case. We have arrested Neeraj Desai, he had done the audit of the bridge," DCP Abhishek Trimukhe had said. 

Police initially booked officials of the BMC, which was responsible for the maintenance of the bridge, and the Central Railway (CR) under section 304-A (Causing death by negligence) of the IPC, but rescinded the move later.

Earlier, Republic TV accessed the official audit report of the foot over bridge from July 2018 which enlisted a number of recommendations for the 'unstable bridge' unraveling the truth behind the negligence of the civic body and the Maharashtra government. The report divulged into crucial details:

• The slab of the bridge was not in good condition, steel in the slab was exposed
• Mentions of all broken treads and risers of the collapsed bridge needed replacement were in the report
• Measures such as maintenance of RC parapet and railings for anti-corrosion were required.
• The foundation was not exposed and also the foundation plans were not available hence no concrete conclusion can be drawn regarding the safety and condition of the foundation. 
• Floor beam near support was heavily corroded.

On March 14, 60% of the bridge had collapsed, following which it was dismantled to avoid any further use. 

READ: BMC Officials, Bridge Auditor Summoned By Mumbai Police In Connection To Footover Bridge Collapse Near CSMT Station