Months after a fatal accident at a Mumbai Metro construction site in Mulund, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has decided to continue with the DB Hill-LBG consortium as the general consultant for Metro Line 4, despite earlier signalling its removal, according to news reports.
The consortium, comprising Deutsche Bahn Engineering & Consulting, Hill International, and Louis Berger Group, has been overseeing construction supervision and safety compliance since 2018, including work on the extended Line 4A corridor.
The decision marks a clear shift from MMRDA's initial stance following the 14 February incident, when a parapet wall slab from the under-construction viaduct collapsed onto Lal Bahadur Shastri Road, killing one person and injuring three others.
At the time, the authority had announced plans to terminate the consultant, describing it as a sign of a zero-tolerance policy towards safety violations and work site accidents.
However, reports say that officials now indicate that the earlier termination announcement arose from a "misunderstanding", and the consultant continues to remain associated with the project.
MMRDA Commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee confirmed that the consortium has not been removed, while senior officials indicated that corrective steps, including changes in key personnel, have been implemented instead, an Indian Express report stated.
Investigations into the incident revealed that the collapse was triggered after structural connections were accidentally cut during welding work, with lapses in supervision cited on both the contractor and consultant.
In its submission to the Bombay High Court, MMRDA acknowledged "procedural non-compliance by RAJV (contractor) and insufficient site supervision by the General Consultant during construction activity."
Work on the corridor has since resumed, albeit at a slower pace, with authorities citing broader external factors impacting project timelines.