Will not be able to survey or take action against residents: Ward officer on Bandra wall collapse

The portion of the house that collapsed at Kherwadi, Bandra, on Monday. Pics/Sameer Markande

A young labourer died and five people were wounded when a portion of a four-storey building collapsed on another two-storey structure in a slum pocket of Bandra East on Monday. The incident has sent the administration into precautionary mode, especially in view of the rain forecast.

However, Alka Sasane, the ward officer, said, "The incident took place on railways-owned land and the planning authority of that area is the MMRDA, so we will not be able to survey or take any action on residents. I will write to the MMRDA and the railways to look into the incident. Meanwhile, we are making our ward monsoon-ready and have chalked out precautionary measures."

The debris of the partially damaged building

The incident was reported to the fire brigade and the BMC's disaster control unit around 1.45 am on Monday. Before help arrived, the local residents rescued six people. One of them was declared dead on arrival at V N Desai hospital. Later, the fire brigade rescued 11 more people. The injured were rushed to Bhabha hospital and V N Desai hospital and their condition is stable.

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The H East ward office is clearing the debris and removing the hanging portions of the collapsed structure to ensure the safety of others.

The ground-plus-four-storey structure in Rajjak Chawl at Kherwadi had collapsed on a ground-plus-two-storey house. Such incidents are common in Bandra East where rooms are added on top of standalone houses without proper support.

According to the BMC's Disaster Unit, the deceased was identified as Riyaz Ahmad, 28. The injured included Nural Haq Haidar Ali Sayyad, 21, Salman Atik Khan, 24, and three members of a family - Rahul Mohan Khot, 22, Rohan Mohan Khot, 22, Lata Mohan Khot, 48.

The ward office has started a plan to move out slum dwellers residing illegally above the Mithi and Vakola rivers, so as to save their lives during the monsoon. The ward has a heavy slum population living in dangerous conditions.

Five
No. of people who were injured in the incident