Rains revive horror of building collapse in Mumbai

Mumbai: For Mumbaikars, it’s the same story every year. Rains lead to flooding the streets and crippling the Maximum City. This year is also no different. Amid heavy rains during the week, the six-storey Bhanushali building in the Fort area collapsed killing 10 people. As per the development authority, the 80-year-old building was due for repairs and not redevelopment. Every year, one or more such collapse happens, human lives are lost and yet there is no realisation by authorities on taking this issue seriously and deal with it in a more efficient way. The response to a Right to Information (RTI) application by Shakeel Ahmed Shaikh from the NGO Adhikar Foundation throws light on data about building collapses in the past seven years. As per the data, there are more than 3,950 incidents of either wall collapse, slab crash, house collapse or building collapse, killing 300 people and injuring several others.

Shrikant Barve, 66, a resident of the 30-40 year-old Saikrupa building in Vile Parle, has no other option but to risk not only his life, but also of his 86-year-old mother and 55-year-old relative. The Sunday Guardian visited the building and was shocked to see the building’s condition—damp walls, deep cracks, fearful steps, falling ceiling, falling slabs and iron rods peeping out. While all other tenants of this ground-plus-four storey building have left for alternative shelters by somehow managing funds for the same, this poor senior citizen family is left with no option as they don’t have money to pay huge rents for an alternative shelter. “We are not against builders or any development, but then shouldn’t rules be followed? While the builder take time on redevelopment, where will we shift and go, we don’t have much money to take a house on rent and is thus left with no option but to risk our lives here,” said Shrikant Barve. His 86-year-old mother said, “Please ask the government to save me and help me move out of this dilapidated structure!” The Kesarbai Mansion building in Dongri had collapsed exactly a year back, killing 13 persons and injuring over 10 others. The Sunday Guardian went to check out the spot. Dozens of “weekend constructions” in Dongri-Pydhonie, where illegal buildings have been raised over the weekend to escape scrutiny, were seen. Rogue builders add illegal storeys to structures in the guise of repairs. Kalsekar M. Hussain, who was born and brought up in Dongri, said, “The situation of Dongri hasn’t changed much in two decades, the major reason being that here the local corporation and MLAs have been incapable of communicating with the people. Locals are forced to stay in such dilapidated buildings as they don’t have any decent options.” There are many such structures that come under various authorities like BMC or MHADA. There are almost 500 buildings identified as C-1 Category, meaning dangerous and unfit for habitation by BMC for year 2019-2020. All these buildings are rickety and beyond repairs. BMC has sent notices to them, but yet not been able to vacate them. The reasons given are matters stuck in court, protests, technical issues or “emotional attachment”.