Mhada blames tenants for slab collapse in Tardeo building

The neighbours and residents of Soona building in Zoroastrian Colony, Tardeo, where a slab collapsed on Tuesday morning, killing a 78-year-old woman and injuring a housemaid, say the 100-year-old structure was badly in need of repairs.

The neighbours and residents of Soona building in Zoroastrian Colony, Tardeo, where a slab collapsed on Tuesday morning, killing a 78-year-old woman and injuring a housemaid, say the 100-year-old structure was badly in need of repairs.

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The building was last renovated 10 years ago by the Maharashtra Housing & Area Development Authority (Mhada), which charges a cess on pre-1967 buildings for undertaking their upkeep. The authority, however, has washed its hands off Tuesday’s mishap.

The structure is part of a cluster of 23 buildings, which are managed by the Zoroastrian Building Fund Estate. The tenants say that they have repeatedly written to the trust demanding repairs, but no heed has been paid to them. “No action has been taken by the trust owners so far," said Rusi Master, a member of the tenants’ association in the colony.

Mhada, meanwhile, has blamed the tenants. “Two years ago, we had given a notice to the residents that the structure needed repairs, but the residents refused to go in for repairs,” said Vaishali Wagh, public relation officer, Mhada.

Wagh said it was only two months ago that the residents approached the authority seeking repairs. “All the procedure was done to start repairs, before this unfortunate accident occurred,” she added.

She said that families that lost their homes have been offered transit accommodation by Mhada.