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Mumbai Building Collapse: Repair work a front for corrupt nexus

The collapse of the building in Dongri on Tuesday indicated a nexus between Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), BMC officials and contractors. Activists and political leaders are now demanding transparency in repairing and redevelopment contract allotments procedures to hold accountable the persons concerned when such a tragedy occurs.

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The collapse of the building in Dongri on Tuesday indicated a nexus between Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), BMC officials and contractors. Activists and political leaders are now demanding transparency in repairing and redevelopment contract allotments procedures to hold accountable the persons concerned when such a tragedy occurs.

Local Congress MLA Amin Patel said on Wednesday that a syndicate has been pushing illegal constructions in the city under the guise of repair work. He says that instead of assessing the health of a building, MHADA and BMC officials rely on contractors. This opens the door for dubious contractors to carry out other work that could weaken an already ill structure. "MHADA or BMC officials should visit the structures, conduct personal inspections, prepare a list and submit it to a higher authority. But they only forward the list prepared by contractors," he said.

Usually, occupants of a dilapidated or shaky building write to MHADA about repairs. On an average, 3,000 out 14,000 cessed buildings undergo repair work each year, for which MHADA releases Rs 100 crore annually. While the repair board mulls the occupants' complaints, a designated contractor compiles a list of shaky buildings and approaches occupants with a plan. A tender is opened, a contractor typically submits one that is 30% to 40% below total cost.

"Once (s)he bags the contract," said Patel, "they carry out illegal procedures such as modification, structural changes and other renovations. In addition to the fees from MHADA, the contractor extracts an amount -- ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 20 lakh -- from occupants to make illegal constructional changes such as extend a balcony, convert a toilet into a room, or a room into a toilet, and so. These changes burden an already weak structure, which leads to their collapse in the monsoons."

RTI activist Anil Galgali says that after the task, officials don't even inspect whether the repair work is satisfactory. "MHADA officials issue the NOC for repair and reconstruction, but don't visit the site," he says. "If they find illegal construction or restructuring, a legal notice must be issued. But officials are always silent on these matters because they are also part of this syndicate."

He accused MHADA of being a "pro-developer" government body. "If a building is declared dangerous, instead of giving occupants a transit house, they are shunted about. In some instances, money has been demanded under the table to assign a transit home," Galgali said. "Such corrupt practices must stop immediately. The Shiv Sena and BJP need to take responsibility and carry out reforms here."

Milind Mhaiskar, vice-president of MHADA, could not be reached for comment. Prasad Lad, a BJP MLC who is a member of the MHADA Board, said is the body is serious about reforms, transparency must be brought into the contract-allotment process.

"A contract must be given through an online process; human interference has to be removed. Funds for repairs also have to be increased," he said. He also emphasized a need for citizen participation. "If people are active and alert, then tragedies like the one at Dongri can easily be averted,' said Lad.

Modus Operandi

  • Contractors submit a list of cessed buildings that need repairs to MHADA
  • MHADA opens up a tender, and contractors typically pitch 30 to 40% less than total cost 
  • Once they get the contract, along with repair work, they carry out restructuring work as per occupants’ wishes and charge extra. This burdens the structure
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