Mumbai building collapse: How old was the building? Contradictory statements emerge

Mumbai, July 16: Under fire after the collapse of a building in Mumbai's Dongri area which left two dead, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) today said action would be taken against those responsible for Kesarbai building giving way.

MHADA had given the building that collapsed in Tandel street in Abdul Hamid Durga area on Tuesday to a private builder for re-development.

The dilapidated building was supposed to have been demolished in 2012. After the collapse of the building, the MHADA said that it gave NOC to the developer in 2012 for its redevelopment. The authority added that it is an MHADA building and not BMC and had also given a notice to residents to vacate it in August 2017.

MHADA Chairman Uday Samant said the building, located in Dongri area, was under their jurisdiction but given to a private builder for re-development.

"If the developer has delayed re-development of the collapsed building, then he will face action. If some MHADA officials are responsible for the delay in its development, then they will also face strict action," he said, as per reports.

Samant, who is also the MLA of the Ratnagiri-Sangmeshwar constituency, said that the building was more than 50 years old. According to him, the building that is owned by MHADA was to be demolished by a private developer.

However, Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office, in a tweet, said 'it is a 100 year old building and a developer was appointed by the residents'.

"Around 15 families were residing there. As per the preliminary information, it is a 100 year old building and a developer was appointed by the residents. We are further looking into all the aspects," the tweet said.

Samant, who was on way to Mumbai from Ratnagiri, said he has asked the officials concerned to collect all the required information pertaining to the building for further action.

Meanwhile, state Housing Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said his government's priority was to save lives of the people trapped under the collapsed building's debris.

Reports quoted Mumbai legislator Bhai Jagtap as saying that residents had been complaining to MHADA to take immediate measures as the building was very old and in a dilapidated state for a long time.

At least two people, including a woman, died on Tuesday after a four-storey building collapsed in Mumbai's Dongri. Around five people are said to be injured. Three NDRF teams have been rushed to help the local police in rescue operations. Around 40 people were still trapped under the debris at the time of filing this story.