BMC orders auditors to re-inspect 223 city bridges

Mumbai: After the Himalaya bridge collapse Thursday which killed six people and injured 31 others, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has ordered its structural auditors to reinspect 223 bridges in Mumbai and submit their detailed investigation reports and recommendations in one month.

“The order was passed by municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta Saturday, which states that all the bridges including foot over-bridges, road over-bridges, flyovers and vehicular subways awarded for inventory and condition survey in 2016 should be re-inspected on the backdrop of the CSMT’s Himalaya bridge collapse,” informed BMC spokesperson Ram Dotonde.

The order clearly mentions that all the bridges, whose reports were submitted earlier, should be ‘urgently’ analysed by structural auditors as the bridge which collapsed Thursday was audited irresponsibly and said to be in good condition.

Out of 223 bridges that will be re-inspected, 157 are in the western suburbs and 66 in the eastern suburbs. However, the order does not include inspection of bridges in the city area.

Out of the 157 bridges in the western suburbs as per earlier audit reports, 78 were said to be in good condition, 42 required minor repairs, 28 required major repairs, and eight required demolition.

While, out of 66 bridges in the eastern suburbs as per earlier audit reports, 18 were said to be in good condition, 26 required minor repairs, 14 required major repairs, and eight required demolition.

Injured require multiple surgeries

Doctors treating the injured victims of the bridge collapse said that more than half the patients had suffered fractures of either the tibia (shinbone), femur (thigh bone), foot bone, hips, ankles or fingers and spinal cord.

Around seven persons had suffered spinal injuries while three to four had sustained head injuries. There were multiple patients with both legs fractured. Patients’ kin said that almost all victims had suffered more than one fracture or injury that would require multiple surgeries and extensive rehabilitation.

Nearly more than 20 orthopaedic procedures were carried out at the state-run St George and G.T. hospitals on 10 patients. “Our team of experts from this hospital and J.J. Hospital operated most of the patients as in multiple fractures, blood clots could cause complications,” said medical superintendent Dr Madhukar Gaikwad.

Several patients, who had been initially rushed to these hospitals from the crash site and later sought out the discharge against medical advice (DAMA), were shifted to private centres although there is no clarity on whether the state will still cover their treatment expenses. The privately-run  Bombay Hospital had three patients, Nanavati had one, and Jaslok three, including a three-year-old child with polytrauma.

At G.T. Hospital, more than five surgeries were carried out on three patients. Dr Driraj Sonavane said that a 40-year-old woman had cracked her vertebrae and fractured a foot.

Ghatkopar’s Dileep Parekh (66), and policemen Mahesh Shetye (36) and Nilesh Patawkar (21) are been treated at Bombay Hospital.