Thane:
At least 10 people, including six children, were killed and 12 others were injured as a three-storey building collapsed in Thane near Mumbai today. 14 others were rescued from the debris.
The building, located next to the Mumbra east railway station, collapsed around 2:30 am. The 35-year-old building was home to nine families. Its residents have denied reports that they were warned by the local civic authorities that the building was very weak.
"We were all fast asleep when the building suddenly shook. Terrified we just ran out. We have lost everything but I am glad all my family members are safe", said Zakia Shaikh who lived on the third floor. She was in tears as she narrated the horror.
Riyaz, a local shopkeeper who witnessed the building crumble, said, "First we heard a loud crash. Then, we saw the overhead tank of Smruti Building had come undone from the structure. That collapsed first and within minutes the whole structure was like a sandwich".
In April this year, after the tragic collapse of a building in Mumbra that claimed 73 lives, the civic authorities had acknowledged that 1097 buildings in Thane were dilapidated and in danger of facing collapse. 88,000 people live in these buildings. Of the 1097 buildings, 57 were said to be in "very dangerous" state.
The plan was to shift people of these 57 buildings into rental homes of Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority. But that still has not happened.
The Thane Municipal Commissioner RA Rajeev had said in April that nearly 90% buildings in Thane-Mumbra area were illegal. At that time, the state government had said that it was not feasible to demolish illegal structures which would render large swathes of people homeless. The state was mulling housing policy changes to aid cluster development in the Thane area.
But collapses like these are a tragic reminder of how complicated and vast a challenge it is for the government.
The building, located next to the Mumbra east railway station, collapsed around 2:30 am. The 35-year-old building was home to nine families. Its residents have denied reports that they were warned by the local civic authorities that the building was very weak.
"We were all fast asleep when the building suddenly shook. Terrified we just ran out. We have lost everything but I am glad all my family members are safe", said Zakia Shaikh who lived on the third floor. She was in tears as she narrated the horror.
Riyaz, a local shopkeeper who witnessed the building crumble, said, "First we heard a loud crash. Then, we saw the overhead tank of Smruti Building had come undone from the structure. That collapsed first and within minutes the whole structure was like a sandwich".
In April this year, after the tragic collapse of a building in Mumbra that claimed 73 lives, the civic authorities had acknowledged that 1097 buildings in Thane were dilapidated and in danger of facing collapse. 88,000 people live in these buildings. Of the 1097 buildings, 57 were said to be in "very dangerous" state.
The plan was to shift people of these 57 buildings into rental homes of Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority. But that still has not happened.
The Thane Municipal Commissioner RA Rajeev had said in April that nearly 90% buildings in Thane-Mumbra area were illegal. At that time, the state government had said that it was not feasible to demolish illegal structures which would render large swathes of people homeless. The state was mulling housing policy changes to aid cluster development in the Thane area.
But collapses like these are a tragic reminder of how complicated and vast a challenge it is for the government.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
