Mahim collapse: Rizwan Merchant's complaint letter talks of years of neglect

Beams, columns and RCC framework of the building had been stripped.

In November 2008, he saw labourers in an illegal shed in the building and paid a visit. “I was shocked to see the entire showroom on the ground floor and the basement covered with wooden props; the beams, columns had wide gaping exposures of steel through them,” his letter says.

After he wrote to the assistant civic chief of G/North Ward in February 2009 complaining about BMC staff leaking information to the showroom owner about his complaint and then submitting a report of no construction at the site, work was stopped.

Merchant and others met the occupants of the showroom to request that the work be completed. Meetings were held among residents to contribute towards repairs, but the showroom owner’s cooperation was not forthcoming. The cost of the repairs for the building was estimated to be around Rs40 lakh.

He also faulted the landlords, Furniturewalas, for delaying the formation of a society even after all flats were sold. “Due to non-formation of a society and accused’s high-handedness, residents weren’t able to proceed with the repair work...” his letter says.