Kumbhar ghat wall collapse: Kin of deceased blame low-quality construction for six deaths

Six people died on October 14 as a newly constructed wall on Kumbhar ghat collapsed due to torrential rains.

Pandharpur: The relatives and residents of Kumbhar ghat area in Pandharpur have blamed the governing bodies for poor quality work of the ghats on Chandrabhaga river. Six people died on Wednesday (October 14) as a newly constructed wall on Kumbhar ghat collapsed due to torrential rains. Four of the deceased were locals. The residents are demanding audit from the state authorities of the beautification work at the ghats.

Residents show the collapsed wall that killed six people in Pandharpur during the flash floods on October 14, on Tuesday. They have demanded audit from the state authorities of the beautification work carried at the ghats. (PRATHAM GOKHALE/HT)

“Work on various ghats on the banks of Chandrabhaga river has been going on for two years. The wall collapse happened at one of the newly built ghats. The stone bricks and material used for construction is of very poor quality. The government should now carry out quality checks of works done at Pandharpur as it is an important pilgrimage city of the state,” said Anil Abhangarao, deputy nagar president of Pandharpur.

Four of the deceased belonged to the same family — Gopal Laxman Abhangrao (70), his wife Radhabai Gopal Abhangrao (60), their son Raju Gopal Abhangrao (34) and their grandson (daughter’s son) Sangram Umesh Jagtap (14). All of them are from Koli community (boaters and fishing community).

Sachin Abhangrao, brother of deceased Raju, said, “It was his birthday on October 14. When we got to know about increasing water level we rushed to pull our boats from the river. I was also standing with them near the wall, but as I went ahead to help someone, the wall collapsed. I saw my family members dying in front of my eyes. The contractor appointed by the government is responsible for the poor construction.”