MUMBAI: A week after a concrete slab from the under-construction Metro 4 corridor crashed onto vehicles on LBS Marg in Mulund, autorickshaw driver Rajkumar Yadav, 43, remains in a critical condition in the ICU, with his family unsure if he will ever live a normal life again. His relative, Mahendra Yadav, 52, who was also injured in the incident, continues to suffer from severe chest pain and internal injuries and is on medication.
The incident occurred on February 14 when a slab fell on a moving autorickshaw and a Skoda car, killing Ramdhani Yadav, 49, instantly and injuring three others. Rajkumar, who was driving the rickshaw, was pinned inside for nearly 30 minutes after the slab mangled his left leg. He remained unconscious for four days and regained consciousness only three days ago.
Doctors from the hospital have been constantly updating the family about Rajkumar’s condition. Family members said he began eating on his own from Saturday. Rajkumar suffered multiple injuries–fractured ribs, a fractured left hand and severe damage to his left leg, for which three rods have been inserted. His spleen also had to be surgically removed.
For nearly 20 years, Rajkumar worked as a driver in Mumbai, first operating private cars and for the past 15 years driving an autorickshaw. To supplement his income, he delivered tender coconuts to shops in Mira Road from 5am to 11am, earning about ₹25,000 a month. Last year, after years of saving, he purchased his own autorickshaw by applying for an automobile loan.
“He had planned for more than a decade to buy one of his own. Something or the other kept coming in the way. Finally, he managed it,” said his brother-in-law, Sarvesh Yadav. The vehicle now lies crushed. While insurance is expected to cover the remaining loan, the family is uncertain how they will arrange funds for a replacement. With Rajkumar hospitalised and the rickshaw destroyed, the household income has come to a halt.
Rajkumar lives in a rented apartment in Nalasopara with his wife Meera Devi, son Ritesh, 23, and 12-year-old daughter Pari, a Class 6 student at Mahura Bal Vikas High School. The family continues to pay rent, school and coaching fees for Ritesh who is studying for the CAT (Common Admission Test) , along with other household expenses. “There is no income, but expenses are mounting. These are hidden costs that no one counts when they talk about the accident. Travelling to the hospital alone costs ₹500 one way every day,” Ritesh told HT.
“He has become very fragile and may need medical assistance for life. If his treatment is made free for the rest of his life, it will lessen our burden,” Ritesh said, adding that he wanted to be assured that his ailing father would not have to worry about his daughter’s education or running the household.
Meanwhile, Rajkumar’s wife, Meera Devi, 40, has barely spoken since the incident, said relatives. The family had been preparing for Ritesh’s wedding this year. He had recently begun working in a finance company, easing financial pressures at home. “He was happy that better days were coming. Now all that hard-earned money is being spent bit by bit to keep the family afloat,” said Meera Devi.
As Rajkumar remains in critical care, the family’s plans are on hold. Their survival depends on dwindling savings and the hope that he will recover enough to rebuild his livelihood. The family has written to the MMRDA and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking full medical coverage, long-term care support, a source of income and adequate compensation.
A day after the tragic accident, the MMRDA announced it would provide insurance compensation of approximately ₹15–20 lakh, subject to applicable policy terms and statutory provisions. The government of Maharashtra provided ex gratia assistance of ₹5 lakh, while the MMRDA extended financial assistance of ₹15 lakh.
Sources in MMRDA said the authority would bear the entire cost of medical treatment for the injured persons, including hospitalisation, procedures, medicines, rehabilitation, and follow-up care. “Additionally, compensation to the injured shall be extended in accordance with applicable policy terms and the contractual provisions governing the Metro project works,” an MMRDA official said.
At home, Rajkumar’s elderly mother, Amravati Devi, who is bedridden, was initially told it was a minor accident. Rajkumar’s elder brother, Ashok Yadav, has been at the hospital round the clock. “We both used to shoulder the responsibility for our families and our four sisters. Now I feel alone. I keep telling everyone everything will be fine, but the responsibility feels heavier,” he said.
The family was performing a puja for their niece Khusbu’s upcoming wedding in Kalva when news of the accident reached them. Relatives who had arrived for the wedding continue to stay with the family, adding to the expenses. No immediate family member has returned to work, school or college in the past week as they shuttle between hospital and home.
The other accident victim, Mahendra Yadav, a former sarpanch and farmer, is the sole breadwinner for his family. He has a daughter and three sons who are still studying, and his farming activities have been impacted by his absence.
Soon after the incident, the victims, Rajkumar, his brother-in-law Mahendra, and the Skoda driver Deepa Ruhia, 40, were rushed to Upasani Super Speciality Hospital. Ruhia was discharged within hours, while Rajkumar and Mahendra remain under medical care.