Pimpri-Chinchwad Waste-to-Energy Plant Collapse Traps Workers; Two Die in Separate Duct Accident
A PCMC-run waste-to-energy plant at Moshi in Pimpri-Chinchwad collapsed after two days of monsoon rain in July 2026, trapping approximately 22 workers, with nine rescued overnight by joint NDRF, SDRF, municipal, and police teams working around the clock. On August 27, a second workplace tragedy struck the city when two workers died after falling into an underground duct near Lokmanya Hospital, with authorities immediately launching a probe. Together the incidents underscored persistent infrastructure and workplace safety concerns across the industrial city that forms a twin municipality with Pune.
PCMC Waste-to-Energy Plant Collapses at Moshi; Nine Rescued, Ten Still Trapped
A waste-to-energy plant operated by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation collapsed at Moshi following relentless monsoon rain in July 2026. Nine workers were rescued overnight from the debris in a technically demanding operation coordinated by a joint team comprising the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, municipal administration, police, and medical personnel working on what officials described as a war footing. An estimated ten to twelve more workers remained trapped at the time of reporting, with all agencies continuing their search. State Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan visited the site and addressed media, saying: "Our priority is that no life should be lost. We will make every effort to ensure everyone is safe." He told reporters that the Moshi site has served as Pimpri-Chinchwad's main dumping ground since 1982, making it nearly 47 years old, with a PCMC building constructed alongside the waste mound. Two days of continuous heavy rain caused the accumulated garbage to shift suddenly like a landslide, bringing down half the building. About 22 to 23 PCMC employees were inside when the structure gave way; five escaped immediately on their own. Senior officials held discussions on rescue coordination as operations continued. [6]
Two Workers Die After Falling Into Duct Near Lokmanya Hospital
Two workers lost their lives on August 27, 2026, after becoming trapped inside a duct near Lokmanya Hospital in Pimpri-Chinchwad, according to a report filed by the ANI national wire service. The workers fell into the underground duct structure and were unable to escape before the incident proved fatal. Maharashtra authorities confirmed that a probe was launched immediately following the deaths to determine the precise circumstances of the accident and establish accountability among those overseeing the work. Pimpri-Chinchwad, which forms part of the greater Pune metropolitan area and hosts one of Maharashtra's most significant industrial and automotive clusters, has seen rapid urban expansion over recent decades, with infrastructure development regularly involving underground utility ducts for telecommunications, drainage, and power distribution. Incidents involving workers falling into open or inadequately secured underground structures have recurred across Indian cities, raising persistent questions about the adequacy of safety protocols and protective equipment provided to labourers engaged in infrastructure maintenance. The deaths near Lokmanya Hospital — a major public healthcare facility in the city — highlighted the continuing gap between infrastructure growth and the workplace safety standards applied to those performing essential underground maintenance work. Authorities were conducting an active investigation at the time of the ANI report filed on August 27. [1]
Sources: [6] Deccan Herald · [1] ANI News