Builder, 2 contractors booked after wall collapses on footpath
MUMBAI: The Oshiwara police on Saturday booked a developer and two contractors after a part of an under-demolition building collapsed on a footpath in Andheri West on Friday. The building, which is under the MHADA layout, collapsed during its demolition. According to the police, the developer assigned the work to inexperienced contractors for demolition who didn’t consider the safety and security of the employees or the residents.
Police in its FIR said a part of the building called Vishaka building, Adarsh Nagar, near Indian Oil Petrol Pump, Andheri West, broke the compound wall made of steel sheets and everything collapsed on the footpath dangerously.
“We inquired and found the building was redeveloped by Veena Infotech LLP, Nikunj Sanghvi. Sanghvi had given the work of demolition to Umesh Panchal and Pankaj Patankar. They had brought 12 workers and a Poclain. However, neither of them had any previous experience of demolishing a structure nor had they taken any security measures while demolishing the building,” said the police officer. The accused were booked under sections 288 (negligent conduct regarding pulling down or repairing buildings), 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others) and 34 of the IPC. Local leader Prashant Rane, from Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, said, “It is shocking that no safety measures were followed by the developers. This would have led to deaths and injuries. I am following up with MHADA to ensure a stop work notice is issued on the developer.”