In Vikhroli's Kannamwar Nagar area, a MHADA building's roof collapsed, resulting in the tragic deaths of two elderly residents on the ground floor. The Vikhroli police are conducting an investigation into the incident. The building, numbered 40 and located near Ramabai Udyan, is around 50 to 60 years old. Initially housing 40 to 50 families, a redevelopment project was initiated by a developer 14 years ago, prompting many residents to relocate.
However, due to ongoing society disputes, the redevelopment work has been at a standstill for several years. Despite the halt in construction, ten to twelve families returned to live in the building. The unfortunate collapse occurred on Thursday evening, with a section of the second-floor roof falling onto the first floor before cascading down to the ground level.
Nearby residents promptly alerted the fire brigade, who swiftly responded by extracting Sharad Mashalkar (75yrs) and Suresh Mhadalkar (78yrs) from the debris. Despite being rushed to Dr. Vikhroli's Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital, both individuals tragically succumbed to their injuries.
Following the incident, local MLA Sunil Raut visited the site and arranged temporary accommodation for the other affected families at a transit camp in the vicinity. While a recent settlement resolved the building dispute and was communicated to MHADA, allegations have surfaced blaming MHADA for delays in issuing a no-objection certificate, potentially contributing to the accident.
Calls have been made for a government inquiry and potential charges of culpable homicide against responsible officials. Despite MHADA's prior issuance of a no-objection certificate for the building's redevelopment, the project encountered delays. Further investigation is required to determine the reasons behind the project's suspension, with MHADA attributing the halt to ongoing society disputes.
