HC: Use netting to stop balconies from crashing on passers-by

Barricading work is being carried out at Esplanade Mansion in Fort by MHADA to ensure safety of passers-by. Pic/Suresh Karkera

In a bid to ensure that no untoward incident takes place during the rains and also to safeguard the dilapidated Esplanade Mansion, the Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) to cover the entire building with netting.

The court has given MHADA five days' time to complete the work and submit a report on all the measures taken. Bombay HC justice S C Dharmadhikari and justice G S Patel said that in order to ensure that the balconies don't break and fall on passers-by, the entire structure needed to be covered.

"Our primary concern is that no untoward incident should take place in this rainy season. Hence, MHADA needs to cover the entire structure to ensure that nothing falls on the road," said Dharmadhikari.

The judges pointed out that the safety netting would hold up the balconies if they get detached and directed MHADA to file an affidavit listing all the precautionary measures taken by them, the BMC and the traffic police. "We want them to use the netting the way it has been done on the ghats," added Patel. Dharmadhikari further stated that the judges expect a representative from the Joint Commissioner of Police's office to visit the site and regulate traffic movement accordingly. The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for July 12.

However, BMC and MHADA officials said the netting might not be enough to prevent the balconies from falling. "We hope the heritage committee allows us to remove the balconies as they will be too heavy for the netting to hold. If the balconies are removed, there is no need for barricading either," said a civic official.

A day before the hearing, civic officials from A Ward had started cordoning off a section of MG Road and AS Dmello Road using temporary barricades as per the directions of the HC. Civic officials added that they would install metal sheets in place of the temporary barricades before the next hearing.

July 12
Day the matter will be heard next by Bombay HC

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates