Bhiwandi again: Hours after crash, floor cave-in hurts 3

Merely a day after the Mahadev Nivas collapse, a portion of another building in Bhiwandi came crashing down last morning. An entire slab of the second floor of Mukhtar building fell on the first floor, injuring three, who were in the premises just to procure their belongings and shift to a relative's house.

The gaping hole left by the collapse

While there were three families on the ground floor, two on the first floor and four families on third floor, only the three occupants of second floor were injured in the collapse. The rest had escaped as soon they heard a crashing noise.

Khizar Khan, who was injured with his son. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Khizar Khan, whose wife Tanzela Khan and brother-in-law Sikandar Sheikh were hurt, said, "Residents had started shifting since May. We didn't have anywhere to go, but when a relative agreed to let us stay, due to lack of adequate space, we decided to keep our belongings here. Fearing a repeat of the Hanuman Tekdi incident, we decided to take our luggage and move out on Monday morning. That's when this incident happened."

Khan, who is admitted in Gandhi Memorial Hospital with head and leg injuries, added, "I'm thankful to Allah my kids were in school when we went to Mukhtar building."

Ownership issues
Khan, who owned 6 flats under the ‘pagdi system', claims to have paid R50,000 for each room in 1988. "As per this system, we were supposed to pay a deposit that gives us the right to live at a particular place for as long as we want. The owner can't shift us or make anyone else the owner of these flats. The system requires that if the building goes into reconstruction, we would get some space in it by paying a nominal fee. We were told this by the Municipality. I have all the documents," said Khan.

Alleging that they were being duped by the Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC), Khan said, "Two years ago, in a meeting, they told us to empty the flat for a fee. Then BNMC told us we will get space in the building when it is reconstructed. But none of it happened. It's all a ploy to rob us."

Builders rattled
Apparently, Mukhtar Building was built by Gandhi Trading Center's owner, Zahid Gandhi's father in 1988. Says Gandhi, "We are aware the building is illegal, but I was a kid when my father bought the land, so I don't know why he did it. I have been trying to evacuate the premises since the last 5 years, but the residents refuse to leave. The building is dangerous - it's a good thing it is collapsing."

BNMC's reply
Sunil Bhalerao, assistant municipal commissioner of the municipality, said, "We went to demolish this building on July 16, some women residents yelled at us. We returned on July 18 and broke the central part of the building so nobody could stay in it. Mukhtar building is among the most dangerous buildings in Bhiwandi.

The residents might get the picture now that it's collapsing." Bhalerao added, "We are trying to demolish the weak constructions. Even then, we don't have enough manpower to visit every site."