Alaya Apartment Collapse: Month after tragedy, struggle continues for shelterless survivors

Since the incident, the survivors are facing a double whammy -- dealing with the ‘new normal’ and running hither and thither in hope of government help.

LUCKNOW ‘Best laid-plans of mice and men often go awry’ -- the words of Scottish poet Robert Burns came true for Honey Haider’s family, who first lost his newborn in December and then his flat on January 24 when the Alaya Apartment building collapsed. His wife Afreen Fathema, who got stuck in the debris for nearly 10 hours, is still undergoing treatment.

The survivors are now trying to reach out to chief minister Yogi Adityanath. (Deepak Gupta)

The flat was a wedding gift to the couple from their parents. When it collapsed, its interior designing was still in progress. “For several days after the building collapse, I had to sleep in my car. We were rendered homeless overnight,” said Haider.

He added, “Recently, we shifted to a dargah near Sadatganj. We go there late at night and come back early in the morning so that people don’t object. It’s difficult to sleep there, especially at a time when my wife is undergoing medical treatment. I don’t know how long we will have to go on with this routine.”

Echoing her husband, Afreen said, “During the day, we run from pillar to post seeking compensation and nights are spent at the dargah.’’ Like the Haider couple, other survivors, who were also rendered shelterless, are barely managing to cope with their reduced circumstances.

Narrating her heart-wrenching story, Ranjana Awasthi said, “I am a single mother. My daughter’s engagement was scheduled for January 26 but little did we know what fate had in store for us. Since the building collapse, my daughter and I have been shifting from one friend’s home to another. Meanwhile, her wedding has been postponed indefinitely.”

A staffer in the power department, Awasthi added, “We lost jewellery and cash worth ₹25 lakh. In the morning, I go to the office and in the evening, I visit officials seeking justice,”

Tragedy still taking a toll on mental and physical health

While the three casualties of the terrible collapse have become just a figure in discussions a month after the accident, the metal toll of the incident on the survivors is hardly even taken into consideration.

Bhola Prasad, another flat-owner in the building, has been battling mental distress since the incident as he has now become dependent on his children for even the smallest of expenses. He had bought the flat for ₹32 lakh in 2017 for rental income. With the flat gone, his only source of income has dried up.

“My father bought the flat to ensure that he doesn’t face any financial distress in old age. He has been depressed ever since the building collapsed. He doesn’t talk much these days,” said Surya Gupta, Bhola’s son.

Haider’s father is also in bad shape after losing the flat he had bought with his life savings. “We have sent my parents to Chhattisgarh to my sister’s place for now. They are still trying to come to terms with the incident,” said Haider.

Bleak assurances dashing hopes

Since the incident, the survivors are facing a double whammy -- dealing with the ‘new normal’ and running hither and thither in hope of government help. However, so far, little has been done to assuage their concerns. A few survivors even met deputy CM Brajesh Pathak on Tuesday. “He only assured us that the investigation is underway and necessary action will be taken,” said Haider.

Meanwhile, Ranjana Awasthi submitted a complaint against the builder at the Hazratganj police station. “We requested Aparna Rajat Kaushik, DCP Central, to file an FIR but the cops haven’t lodged the case so far,” she alleged. “We met with the divisional commissioner but were told that we should not have bought a flat in an illegally constructed building. We were paying house tax for years, why were the taxes collected when the building was illegal?” she asks.

In a similar vein, Dr Rinky Kishore, a gynaecologist who owned a flat in Alaya Apartments, said, “I don’t know if any action will be taken. We have been encouraged to go to the court but I am not optimistic.”

The survivors are now trying to reach out to chief minister Yogi Adityanath. “We have requested a sit-down with the CM but haven’t yet received any intimation about it,” said Surya Gupta.