Mahim building collapse: Many more Altaf Mansions waiting to happen

Mhada has not yet provided alternate accommodation to residents of dilapidated and dangerously vulnerable buildings in the city. If corrective measures are not taken on time, then incidents like the Altaf building collapse could happen again. According to Mhada’s record, there are about 16,000 buildings that pay a repair cess to MHADA (also called cessed buildings). Of these, only 16, which can collapse at any moment, have been designated ‘very dangerous’.

Prasad Lad, chairman of the Mumbai Building Repairs and Reconstruction Board (MBRRB), which is Mhada’s repairs board, told dna that the Mhada structural audit survey identified only 16 buildings as dangerous buildings and not fit for human habitation. “As a precautionary measure, we have evicted 867 residents. Only 40 residents were left to relocate and provide an alternative accommodation.

To avoid any untoward incident, we are working on a war footing to relocate these dangerous buildings’ residents at safer locations,” he said. Lad said people are reluctant to shift to other apartments even if they are aware that their lives are in danger. “We are convincing them and in the next week, all the residents of such buildings will be shifted. We have kept almost 400 transit accommodations for such residents at Dharavi.”

However, residents of these hazardous buildings are apprehensive that Mhada evicts and then provides temporary accommodation, and leave them there. Eventually, nothing happens. Some feel that the buildings are not repaired by the date told to them. This disrupts their lives. So, people are reluctant to move out even if their apartments are dilapidated.