Crane falls on building during metro construction in western India, damages property
by Aditi VermaA hydraulic crane collapsed onto a building during ongoing Metro construction work in western India’s Gujarat, causing property damage but fortunately resulting in no serious injuries.
The incident took place at the Nana Varachha area of Surat on August 22.
Visuals showed in front of the Metro construction site, a crane had fallen onto a nearby building, crushing and breaking part of the structure. The scene appeared extremely frightening and life-threatening, with the damaged portion of the building visibly crumpled and shattered under the weight of the crane. The sight was chaotic and alarming, reflecting the serious nature of the incident.
In a concerning incident on Thursday, a hydraulic crane fell on a building during Metro construction work in Surat’s Nana Varachha area. The incident occurred when two cranes, one with a capacity of 400 metric tonnes and the other with 375 metric tonnes, were engaged in launching girders. According to Surat Metro Rail Director Prashant Kulkarni, the boom of one crane bent unexpectedly and fell onto a nearby building, also damaging the second crane.
While the crane operator sustained minor injuries, no civilians were harmed. The building suffered minor damage, and a few motorcycles parked nearby were also impacted. Traffic in the area was diverted temporarily to ensure public safety.
This marks the second incident within a month related to the Surat Metro project. On July 30, a span developed cracks at Saroli. The ongoing project is being managed by the Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (GMRC), a Special Purpose Vehicle with a 50:50 stake held by the Central and State governments. The Surat Metro project is estimated to cost ₹12,020 crore.