Residents of Ashok Gardens file complaint against Lodha Developers

The play area of Lodha Aria also collapsed along with the wall

TWO days after the compound wall and the adjoining play area of Lodha Aria collapsed in Parel, residents of the adjacent society - Ashok Gardens - on Wednesday filed a written complaint at the Kalachowki police station against Lodha Developers. They forwarded a copy of the complaint to F South ward office.

The society members have alleged that the faulty construction of the 20-feet tall wall by Lodha Developers posed 'a grave threat to the lives and safety of people'. They have demanded a criminal action against the directors of Lodha Developers.

Sanjay Dube, chairman of the Ashok Gardens Co-operative Housing Society, claimed in the complaint that adequate amount of cement or concrete was not used to build the wall.
"It appears that Lodha Developers built the wall without ensuring a strong foundation thus posing a grave threat to the lives and safety of people. They did not make drainage holes in the wall, resulting in accumulation of water. The wall thus weakened and collapsed," said Dube.

The residents have also claimed that Lodha Developers had built the playground on gunny bags filled with debris. When the wall collapsed, rubbles from under the playground came sliding out.

Dube said the Lodha officials tried to cover up their 'illegal actions' by claiming that 'settlement of soil' in Ashok Gardens led to the collapse. The civic officials had, on July 2, asked Ashok Gardens and Lodha Aria societies to carry out 'necessary propping, strutting' to avoid further accidents and rebuild the portion under the supervision of the registered structural consultant within seven days.

Ashok Gardens society joint secretary Sanjay Kanodia said a team from Lodha cleared debris on July 1 but haven't removed the rubble "leaning on our building's pillar yet". "The cost of reconstructing the wall should be borne by Lodha Developers and they should build a retaining wall with a proper foundation on their side this time," he added.

A Lodha Developers spokesperson said, "Lodha Aria was completed almost 10 years ago and society was also formed and handed over many years ago. We have provided immediate assistance to mitigate the situation and will work with the two societies to help resolve the issue." Mrudula Lad, senior inspector of Kalachowki police station, could not be reached for a comment.

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