Water percolation from nullah led to Chunabhatti landslide: SRA

Piling work being done for a 30-storey SRA’s saleable component building at Rahul Nagar in Chunabhatti East led to the massive landslide. Its impact was so great that a part of a private road, leading to the nearby Vasantdada Patil Engineering College, caved-in burying 31 vehicles

Mumbai: The prima facie cause of the landslide which occurred at Chunabhatti on Wednesday, burying with it 30 bikes and one car, was due to water percolation from a nullah, according to the slum rehabilitation authority (SRA). The seepage loosened the soil leading to the collapse of a shore piling.

Water percolation from nullah led to Chunabhatti landslide: SRA

Piling work being done for a 30-storey SRA’s saleable component building at Rahul Nagar in Chunabhatti East led to the massive landslide. Its impact was so great that a part of a private road, leading to the nearby Vasantdada Patil Engineering College, caved-in burying 31 vehicles.

Satish Lokhande, CEO, SRA, said, “My engineers visited the site, and we called the developer with the BMC and the expert team. There was a shore piling collapse and the adjoining nullah led to water percolation due to which the soil was loosened.

“In order to rectify it, the developer is doing filling work along with piling and construction of a retaining wall in consultation with VJTI (Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute) or IIT (Indian Institute of Technology).”

“We have told the developer to do the filling and piling work with retaining wall in 15 days on an urgent basis “added Lokhande.

The BMC too sent its observations on Thursday in a letter to the SRA and stated, “It was found that the SRA had given construction permission to the developer Raunak Jigana Associates.

Also, it was found that the three-level basement work of the building is going on at the said place and the foundation work is under construction by digging approximately 40 to 50 feet.

The letter said, “A landslide was observed due to the breaking of a shore pile foundation at that place. Due to the said landslide, a part of the private road leading to the educational institute of Vasantdada Patil College of Engineering collapsed.

“Due to this, one four-wheeler and 30 two-wheelers parked there fell into the excavation, made for the said building, and were damaged. There was no loss of life due to the landslide at the said place...”

A civic official, from L ward said that when the construction was in progress, a protection (retaining) wall was being constructed at the site which collapsed and caused the landslide in Chunabhatti on the road leading to Vasantdada Patil Engineering College.

“Whenever there is a deep excavation, we prepare a wall with the help of RCC, piling, casing and capping. Sand carries its own weight but due to it being wet, it gets heavier and as a result, weight of that land increases which in turn increases the weight on the protection (retaining) wall,” said the civic official.

“The retaining wall could handle the load of dry sand, but the rain increased its weight. Proper safety precautions were not taken, and work was stopped by the SRA. The protection wall built couldn’t withstand the piling work and it was a deep excavation. Due to heavy rains, it collapsed,” said the civic official.

The official from the building and factories department of L ward said that a warning letter has been sent to 26 construction sites already where the BMC is the authority to prevent such mishaps.

A total of 59 construction sites are in the L ward, out of which 26 sites are under the SRA, seven sites under Maharashtra Housing and Area Development (MHADA) and 26 sites under the L ward.

Some of the developers, to whom the BMC has sent these precaution notices, are Fatima SRA Housing Soc Ltd, SK Group Dheeraj Agarwal, Wadia road, Al-Ammar Developers, Bilkis Manzil, Kaveri Adhyapak CHS Ltd, NRJ Developer,High Rise Developers, Vikrant Realtors, Regal Developer and Builders in Kurla.

The letter from the L ward’s building and factories’ department states, “It is to inform you that on-site inspection it is found that construction work is ongoing in the said location. As monsoon is at its peak, you are directed to take all safety precautions as per mentioned conditions in your necessary approvals,” stated the BMC letter.

“If any untoward incident like landslides occur in future with rock fall etc., this office shall not be held responsible. Further necessary action deemed fit will be initiated against you,” stated the letter.