BMC to raze five illegal structures in same slum

MUMBAI: The building collapse in a Bandra (East) slum on Thursday, which claimed the lives of six children, has forced the civic body into action.

MUMBAI: The building collapse in a Bandra (East) slum on Thursday, which claimed the lives of six children, has forced the civic body into action.

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will demolish five structures next to the ground-plus-four building.

The civic body will also resume its demolition drive against illegal structures, which was put on hold because of the monsoon.

Civic officials said the five structures in Behrampada are dangerous. “We will demolish the structures on Saturday. The police have agreed to provide protection,” said Prashant Gaikwad, H/east ward officer.

Two previous incidents that occurred in a span of less than five months this year, claiming the lives of 15 people, had prompted civic chief Ajoy Mehta to instruct all 24 ward officers to demolish slums higher than 14 feet immediately after the monsoon.

Several slums in the city are filled with haphazardly built multi-storey structures, which endanger the lives of those who live in and around them.

“The action was halted because there are standing instructions from the state government that no demolition should be carried out during the monsoon on humanitarian grounds. The monsoon is now over. Thursday’s incident has obviously given the drive a further push,” said an official, on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to talk to the media.

The survey in H-east ward (that covers areas such as Bandra east) found 200 illegal structures on BMC-owned land.

The H-east ward office had carried out a survey and found around 500 illegal multi-storey slums in Behrampada alone and had also sent a caution notice to residents. Western Railway and the suburban collector were also asked to carry out an eviction drive.

G-south ward, which includes Worli and Parel, has 399 such illegal structures in 15 slums in the ward.

“We have sent notices to all the 399 structures, of which 16 have already been demolished. We will resume the demolition in some weeks,” said Bhagyashree Kapse, assistant municipal commissioner, G-south ward.

Meanwhile, the day after the collapse, the fire brigade cleared the debris after rescue operations ended late on Thursday night.

The grieving family had blocked the Bandra east station road on Friday afternoon. “We live here in the dangerous condition because we have nowhere else to go,” said a Behrampada resident.