5-storey building in Bhendi Bazaar crumbles, 23 dead and counting
DILAPIDATED PROPERTY WAS UP FOR REDEVELOPMENT
Just as Mumbai was limping back to normalcy after heavy rains and flood, tragedy struck again in the early hours of Thursday. The Hussaini fivestorey building on Pakmodia Street in crowded Bhendi Bazaar opposite JJ Hospital, collapsed, claiming 23 lives, including three children and six women. More than 15 were injured, some battling for their lives in hospital.
The over 100-year-old Hussaini building shook around 8.30 on Thursday morning and before the five families living in the structure could understand what struck them, the building came crashing down. Although there were reports that two floors of the building were constructed illegally, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) and the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation said it wasn’t the case.
The building even housed a play school on the ground floor, but fortunately, it was too early for the students to arrive.
Six fire tenders, two rescue vans and ambulances were on the spot. The narrow lanes made it difficult for the vehicles to manoeuvre. Two firemen and a rescue official were injured trying to remove the rubble.
The blame game over accountability started soon after the building came down. The structure was being redeveloped by the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT). MHADA officials say that in 2011 the building was declared dilapidated and the residents were served eviction notices. “MHADA notices dated 28-03-2011 and 20-05-2011 declaring the building dilapidated were issued along with offer of transit accommodation to the remaining tenants and occupants,” an official said.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the accident site with his Housing Minister Prakash Mehta. The CM announced Rs 5 lakh compensation to the kin of each victim. He also ordered a probe into the mishap by additional chief secretary, housing. Fadnavis also asked BMC commissioner to submit a report.
The state government has accepted the moral responsibility for the Hussaini building collapse incident on Thursday and assured that residents of all dilapidated buildings will be forcefully evicted within a week to avoid repetition of the sad incident. On the other hand, the Opposition Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) took on housing minister Prakash Mehta, minister for housing and demanded his resignation.
Housing minister Prakash Mehta, Ravindra Waikar, minister of state of housing along with Subhash Desai, guardian minister of Mumbai visited Pakmodia street where the Hussaini building collapsed in the morning. While accepting responsibility, Mehta said, “The state has accepted moral responsibility for the incident. I will evict residents from all such dilapidated buildings within the next eight days after taking prior permission from the chief minister.”
“I will use force if needed to vacate such buildings,” he added. He said that if illegal construction is found at Hussaini building after a probe, action would be taken against the concerned officers of BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra Housing and Development Authority (MHADA).
Desai said that several old buildings are in a dilapidated condition in South Mumbai and the issue of redevelopment of these buildings would be resolved as early as possible. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the spot, met people and expressed grief over the loss of lives. Fadnavis asked BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta to submit a detailed report on the tragic incident. He also ordered a detailed enquiry by Sanjay Kumar, additional chief secretary (housing).
Meanwhile, the Congress termed the Fadnavis government as ‘non-serious’ and blamed the state for leaving people to die. Ashok Chavan, president of Maharashtra State Congress Committee said that the state should immediately focus on systematic plan of redevelopment of dilapidated buildings and not on bullet trains. He said the disaster management cell of the state and the BMC are working on paper only.
Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, leader of opposition in Assembly, said that the Shiv Sena is blaming MHADA for the incident and shielding the BMC. “The corruption in the BMC is responsible for the debacle in Mumbai but the state does not dare to take action against the corporation,” said Vikhe-Patil. Nawab Malik, spokesperson of the Nationalist Congress Party demanded the resignation of housing minister Mehta. “It's the responsibility of the Repair Board to conduct surveys of 16,000 cessed building before the monsoon and evict residents from the dilapidated buildings.”