Bedroom ceiling caves in on couple in 28-year-old Navi Mumbai housing society; woman critical

Navi Mumbai: A bedroom ceiling collapsed on a couple inside their Koparkhairane flat, bringing chunks of concrete crashing down on them

NAVI MUMBAI: A bedroom ceiling came crashing down on a couple inside their Koparkhairane flat on Oct 25, bringing chunks of concrete, plaster of Paris (POP) and broken steel reinforcement bars down on them. While both sustained injuries, the woman was left in critical condition. The incident has also raised concerns over the condition of the nearly three-decade-old Ganga Sagar Society in Sector 1, where a deadlock over redevelopment has left residents living in ageing homes.

A bedroom ceiling collapsed on a couple inside their Koparkhairane flat on October 25, bringing down chunks of concrete, plaster of Paris (POP) and broken steel reinforcement bars. (Photo for representational purposes only) (Gemini-generated photo)

The couple, identified as Rakesh Gupta and Khushbu Gupta, were inside Room No. 1 of the flat at Plot No. 45 when the ceiling slab and POP collapsed. Residents rushed the injured couple to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation’s (NMMC) hospital in Vashi before the fire brigade arrived at the scene. Khushbu sustained serious injuries and was reported to be in critical condition. Their ages were not immediately available.

The collapse was severe enough for fire officials to evacuate residents of the flat directly above the affected home as a precaution, after finding that the slab’s steel reinforcement bars had also broken and fallen.

Rohan Kokate, an NMMC fire officer, said the emergency call was received at 12.26 pm, and the fire engine reached the society gate at 1.20 pm. By then, residents had already taken the injured couple to hospital.

“The ceiling slab and POP in the bedroom had completely fallen, and the slab’s steel reinforcement bars had also broken and fallen. The couple sustained injuries after the debris fell on them. Before our team arrived, local residents had taken them to hospital,” Kokate said.

The fire brigade asked all residents of Room No. 101, located directly above the affected flat, to move to a safe location. The team also informed Koparkhairane ward officer Bharat Dhande and handed over the site to ward office staff, police personnel and the society chairman.

Ward office staff Sachin Arkade and Samadhan Chalke, along with assistant police inspector Bankar and other personnel from the Koparkhairane police station, were present at the site.

Dhande said Ganga Sagar Society was around 28 years old, but its members had failed to reach a consensus on redevelopment, leaving residents in the ageing building.

28-year-old building awaits redevelopment as residents fail to reach consensus

“The society is around 28 years old. Its members have not been able to reach a consensus on redevelopment, which is why people continue to live in the building,” he said.

The prolonged uncertainty over redevelopment has also discouraged residents from undertaking repairs and renovations, Dhande added.

“Because redevelopment is being discussed, residents are not renovating their homes either. When maintenance work is neglected for years, such incidents can occur,” he said.