Six people died after two to three shanties within a “ground-plus-three” structure collapsed in Janata Nagar, Mankhurd, on Sunday evening, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
The incident occurred amid heavy rainfall that has been lashing Mumbai and its suburbs for the past few days
Mumbai Police said the incident took place around 8:30 pm when a neighbouring building collapsed onto a hut in the jurisdiction of Mandala, Mankhurd Police Station area, trapping several people under the debris.
According to authorities rescue operations are still underway.
Speaking on the incident, NDRF Assistant Commandant Sarang Kurve said, “We received information from the BMC control room at 9:30 PM; our Andheri team arrived within about 35 minutes, and our Kurla team reached the site in roughly 20 to 25 minutes. There is no one injured here right now. All six victims have been extradited and have been admitted to the nearby hospital. Around 45 of our rescuers are present here, and they are continuously carrying out the rescue operation. The structure is complex, and the weather conditions were working against us; however, our rescuers are well-trained to handle such situations, and we are continuously working to complete the operation.”
Maharashtra Samajwadi Party President Abu Azmi criticised the Maharashtra BJP government over the construction of shanties here, raising question on its legitimacy.
“How did shanties continue to spring up? The year 2000 arrived, and those built by then were legalised; later, those built up to 2011 were also legalised. This implies that illegal shanties kept coming up after 1995. These are poor people; when they feel their family has grown and they lack the funds for proper housing, they build illegally. However, had the government been strict, not even an inch of unauthorised construction would have been possible. The government itself had declared that no shanties would be built after 1995. So, whose responsibility is it that they were built? How many officials have you suspended? I am urging the House to put a stop to these illegal activities,” he said.
Maharashtra AIMIM General Secretary, Ateeque Ahmad Khan, said, “The incident occurred around 8 or 8:30 PM. A three-story building–which had been constructed just last year–collapsed onto three adjacent houses. Five children and one woman from the same family were trapped underneath; they have been rescued. A search is currently underway for one more girl. In total, six people have been pulled out, though their condition is critical. There are reports suggesting that some individuals may have already lost their lives. A search is ongoing for one remaining child believed to be trapped inside. Additionally, it is suspected that the building’s owner is also buried under the debris. A total of six people have been taken away, and a search for a seventh person is in progress.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Ritu Tawde visited the hospital to console the bereaved families after the incident.
Bureau Report
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