Maharashtra Government to Create Panel to Draft SOP for Construction Site Safety

MUMBAI: On Monday, the Maharashtra state government announced its decision to establish an expert committee to draft a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to prevent accidents at under-construction buildings and infrastructure project sites.

This move follows the deaths of two pedestrians last month after bricks fell from an under-construction building in Worli. The company that owns the building has offered to pay Rs 25 lakh to the victim’s kin.

Industries Minister Uday Samant made the announcement during a Calling Attention motion moved by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Sunil Shinde in the Legislative Council. He informed the council that a technical committee had already been directed to be set up by the High Court in a similar case. The new committee will suggest measures for pedestrian safety at under-construction sites and create a comprehensive policy to prevent accidents.

Shinde alleged that the number of objects falling from under-construction buildings across the state was increasing and pointed out several irregularities in the Worli building where the incident occurred. Samant assured the council that all issues raised by the MLCs would be examined but refused to halt the ongoing construction work.

Deputy chairperson of the Legislative Council, Neelam Gorhe, directed opposition MLCs to submit a draft of the expected SOP to the government. She further directed Samant to incorporate suggestions and come out with a comprehensive SOP at the earliest.

This announcement comes after the Bombay High Court directed the BMC to formulate norms on safety requirements at construction sites just three days ago. In February, two pedestrians lost their lives after a heavy stone attached to a construction crane fell on them from the 42nd floor of an under-construction highrise building at Dr E Moses Road in Worli. The Worli police later arrested the contractor and two workers for allegedly causing death by negligence.

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