A 26-year-old labourer died on Wednesday evening after a cement mixer trolley crashed on him at a construction site in Mumbai’s Bhendi Bazar area. The accident took place near SVP Road at the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT) cluster redevelopment project site, one of the first and largest cluster revamps in the city.
Police identified the victim as Danish Arif Khan, a resident of Mumbai. His co-workers rushed him to JJ Hospital, where doctors declared him dead at 8 pm.
How the Accident Happened?
The accident occurred around 7 pm when Khan and nearly 20 other labourers were working at the SBUT construction site. According to Rais Shaikh, senior police inspector of JJ Marg police station, Khan was standing on the ground and waiting to take the trolley lift up.
A metal link in the trolley suddenly snapped. The heavy trolley hurtled downward and crashed directly on Khan’s head, causing fatal injuries. His colleagues immediately took him to the hospital, but doctors could not save him.
Police to Convert Case Into FIR for Negligence
Inspector Shaikh said the police are recording the statements of all labourers present at the site. “At present, we have registered a case of accidental death and are in the process of converting it into an FIR against the subcontractors on charges of causing death due to negligence. We have sent Khan’s body for a post-mortem and will register the FIR after gathering all the facts,” he said.
The police are now investigating the condition of the machinery, the safety practices followed by the subcontractor, and whether any lapses led to the fatal incident.
About the Bhendi Bazar Redevelopment Project
The accident has once again put the spotlight on worker safety at large-scale redevelopment projects in Mumbai. The SBUT project, launched in 2009 by the late Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin of the Dawoodi Bohra community, is among the city’s most ambitious cluster redevelopment efforts.
The plan includes six residential towers to rehouse families and shop owners from the congested Bhendi Bazar area. Two towers built under Phase I have already been occupied. Two more towers in Phase II are nearing completion. The last two towers are expected to be ready by 2027.
Safety Concerns Rise at Mega Redevelopment Sites
The incident raises fresh concerns about safety standards at major construction and redevelopment sites across Mumbai. Labour unions say workers often face long hours, inadequate training, and insufficient safety checks on machinery.
With more cluster redevelopment projects taking shape across the city, experts say authorities need stricter monitoring and mandatory safety audits to prevent such accidents.
The tragedy at Bhendi Bazar highlights how a single mechanical failure can turn deadly in high-density construction zones. Labour groups are now urging Mumbai authorities to examine whether redevelopment contractors are following safety laws designed to protect workers in hazardous environments.
