Mumbai: Early morning commuters in Mumbai’s bustling Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) faced significant disruptions on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, after a 400-tonne mobile crane toppled during construction work for Metro Line 2B. The incident, which occurred around 4:30 am near the Asian Heart Hospital junction, involved a mechanical failure while the crane was lifting a precast beam.
Crane Failure Leads to Beam Collapse and Traffic Snarls
According to preliminary investigations by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), a gear failure in the lifting boom of one crane caused the load to shift to a secondary boom. This sudden shift in pressure caused the crane to lose balance and topple, leading to the collapse of the precast beam it was hoisting. The incident took place during overnight construction work for the Mandale–DN Nagar Metro Line 2B corridor. J. Kumar Infraprojects Limited is the contractor responsible for this section of the project.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the accident resulted in major traffic diversions, impacting the early morning rush hour. Office-goers heading into the prime business district experienced delays as authorities closed a key arterial stretch near the Asian Heart Institute from 4:30 am. Bottlenecks formed in surrounding areas as vehicular movement was rerouted.
Safety Assurances and Recovery Efforts Underway
Despite the significant scale of the mishap, MMRDA officials have confirmed that no injuries or casualties were reported. Basavraj M Bhadragond, director (projects) for metros at MMRDA, stated that immediate rescue and clearance operations were initiated. To expedite the removal of the toppled crane and the fallen beam, a larger 600-tonne crane has been mobilized to the site. Authorities are working on a war footing to clear the wreckage and reopen the affected stretch, with expectations that normal traffic flow might be restored within three to four hours.
Officials noted that space constraints at the construction site, situated between ongoing work for the BKC bullet train station and existing buildings, may have contributed to the incident. The mishap has once again brought attention to safety protocols at large-scale infrastructure projects within the city.
The MMRDA is coordinating closely with the contractor and traffic police to manage the situation, ensuring minimal inconvenience to citizens. Traffic diversions have been put in place, and efforts are focused on a swift and safe resolution to reopen the road. A thorough investigation into the exact cause of the mechanical failure is expected to be conducted once normal operations resume.
The Chenab Times News Desk