As dust clears, hope rises from the ashes

Fearing an end similar to that of the Hussaini building’s ill-fated residents, others who live in dilapidated buildings gathered at the collapse site to talk about their plight to elected representatives and media on Friday.

Suraiya Shaikh, was one such. A first floor occupant at the over 100-year-old Rasool building diagonally across from Hussaini. Shaikh said “I even walk carefully in the house. The shop below supports our floor and their ceiling with bamboos. We can sense the floors are shaking. It can fall anytime.”

Around seven months ago, the ceiling fell and there is bare flooring now.

“The MHADA officials came and they just put up bamboos. We have not heard from them since,” said Riyaz Khan of Mehraj stores, also known as Aashirwad, below Shaikh’s home.   

The owner-less building has about 70 occupants and 15 flats on each floor. Another resident, Farida Suratwala, added, “Looking at the Hussani building collapse, we have got courage to raise our voice so that our families don’t suffer the same fate.”

Sameer Shaikh, a resident of Kader building in Kamathipura, had come all the way to talk to the media, along with other residents.

“Seven years ago, a builder promised redevelopment and it is now barely standing on bamboos,” he said.

Amin Patel, the local MLA, said he has asked Mhada to look into the matter.

“On Friday, inspection of all the three buildings were done. By Monday, Mhada will prepare the report and repairs might start next week,” he claimed.

Abbasbhai Ramorwala, landlord of Kader building, said, “Repairs in old buildings is Mhada’s job. As a builder and landlord, I wanted to go in for redevelopment but despite seeking permission, working out issues like cut on road, it is not working out.”