NMMC to do structural audit of Nerul building

After the report, the civic body will decide if the 13 families evacuated from the building should be allowed to return to the building.

Navi Mumbai

Navi Mumbai, India - Aug. 24, 2023:2nd Day Slab collapsed of G+3 stoery Tulsi Bhavan building at Sector-6 Nerul in Navi Mumbai, India, on Thursday, August 24, 2023. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO)

Following the slab collapse at Nerul, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation had called for an empaneled team of the corporation for structural audit of the building. Depending on the audit report, the corporation will decide if the other residents should be allowed to go back to the society.

“The residents of all the wings were evacuated on Wednesday for their safety. A total of 13 families resided in the housing society. If the report suggests that it is a safe structure to stay, we would ask them to go ahead and stay there,” NMMC Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar, said.

The flooring of the third floor of the C wing of Tulsi Bhawan housing society at Sarsole village of Nerul sector 6, had collapsed onto the second floor which further collapsed onto the first and then to the ground floor, on Wednesday night, killing two. A total of three families stayed in the C wing of the three storeyed building wherein the incident happened.

“The third-floor resident was replacing few broken tiles in the hall of his flat. While the man was away to buy some material for the work, his wife and mother were in the bedroom and kids outside. Three labourers were working of which one died, one is injured and the third one fled. We are recording statements and investigating further. Since the deceased from the first floor was the chairman of the society and his wife too is serious, the society members are unable to provide us the documents pertaining to the society. A FIR would be soon lodged once we finalise who is responsible for the incident,” senior police inspector Tanaji Bhagat said.

There were no occupants in the second floor of the C wing and at the first floor, deceased Bhabaji Shingade (55) and his wife Shobha Shingade (50) were in the hall while their daughter was is the bedroom. The slab fell over the couple killing the man on the spot and seriously injuring the lady.

“A total of four had come under the slab of which two died and two were injured. Three more who were stuck in various rooms, were rescued by our team,” Narvekar said. The deceased labourer has been identified as Ramanu Nayak (58) and the injured are Shobha Shingade and other labourer Jijul Jamal Shaikh (45).

“All the residents are currently put up at Darshan Darbar community hall which is behind the building and along with NMMC we are arranging for the food and other required things. The audit was done and all are waiting for the report,” Imran Naik, one of the flat owners of the society who is also shakha pramukh of Shiv Sena, said.

Meanwhile Narvekar has also said that he has asked for a ward level survey of the buildings in the same area. The land wherein the building stands was a CIDCO plot which was awarded to a villager under the 12.5% scheme and later deveoped by a builder identified as Mukesh Bhatia.