The incident sparks panic among passersby but Maha Metro authorities come out with flimsy clarification
Nagpur: The incident left the Maha Metro authorities in Nagpur red-faced and embarrassed. Falling loose sand and pebbles from one of the segments of double-decker Metro on Kamptee Road in the city has become the talk of town.
Gold Rate
04 April 2025
According to reports in local media, even though the Metro authorities indulged in face-saving exercise, by attributing the incident to ongoing cleaning process on Sitabuldi-Automotive Square stretch, experts did not borrow the flimsy clarification. Some passersby recorded a small video of the loose black coloured sand falling intermittently down from one of the holes in the segment. The site was near the 10 No. Bridge near Indora Square where the fall of gravel was seen. The video clip became viral and was shared by citizens who were drawing their conclusions.
According to Akhilesh Halve, Deputy General Manager, Corporate Communication, Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL), the matter was promptly investigated after receipt of information and ruled out any threat to stability of the viaduct of the Metro. He termed it as a routine process wherein the stretch is being cleaned and hence one can see the falling gravel.
However, according to experts, the incident needs to be investigated thoroughly. Though one cannot doubt stability of the viaduct, however in future the road stretch on the bridge could be prone to early breakage, they claimed further. In case gravel pouring down was due to the cleaning process then why such a thing was not noticed earlier when other stretches of Nagpur Metro were opened, the experts wondered.
An engineer also wondered if cleaning was as per schedule, why basic precaution about barricading the road below the segment was not done. Neither a warning board was not put up at the site nor any person was deputed at spot to warn passers-by about the scheduled activity.
