Mumbai: Bhandup mall to be razed or repaired? Audit to tell

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has ordered the administrator of Dreams Mall in Bhandup to carry out a structural audit to determine whether the mall needs to be demolished or only needs repairs

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has ordered the administrator of Dreams Mall in Bhandup to carry out a structural audit to determine whether the mall needs to be demolished or only needs repairs. A level four fire was reported at the mall that housed Sunrise Hospital on March 25, killing nine Covid patients.

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The mall is being managed by Rahul Sahasrabuddhe, who was appointed as the independent administrator by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to manage the affairs of the mall, after non-payment of taxes by Housing Development Infrastructure Limited (HDIL, which owned Dreams Mall).

Vibhas Achrekar, assistant municipal commissioner, S ward that covers Bhandup, said, “We have issued a notice to the administrator to carry out a structural audit of the mall. The audit will decide whether the mall will have to be reconstructed completely or will require major repair works…This exercise is being done considering the top floor of the mall was completely damaged and the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) wanted us to seal the mall. However, we do not have any powers to seal the premises without valid reason. Hence, the structural audit will be conducted.”

Shopkeepers want permission to open their undamaged shops. A shopkeeper said, “Last year, there was a lockdown, and this year we had a fire followed by another lockdown. Forget about allowing us to open our shops, but we are not even allowed to go inside the shops and check if our belongings are safe.”

The BMC said the fire was major and there is a possibility that the structure might be damaged. Meanwhile, the BMC’s disaster management cell is expected to conclude its report on the cause of the fire by this week. The report will also decide whether there was any negligence by any government authority in giving permissions to the mall and the hospital. On the other hand, the Mumbai Police had booked several people last month after the fire that included directors of HDIL Rakeshkumar Wadhawan, Nikita Amitsingh Trehan, Sarang Wadhawan, Deepak Shirke and directors of Privilege Health Care Services Private Limited (which owns Sunrise Hospital) Amitsingh Trehan, Nikita Amitsingh Trehan and Sweetie Jain, among others, for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Sahasrabuddhe said, “The mall does not need redevelopment. Repairs are needed before restarting. I have submitted the preliminary comments of the structural auditor. I have written and submitted a letter to BMC to allow me to let people remove their belongings.”