There are many more Malvani in Mumbai, there may be an accident

Mumbai
An incident like that in Malad’s Malvani can happen in many other areas of Mumbai. Even before this, huts or buildings standing on load bearings have been collapsing in areas like Kurla Qureshi Nagar, Behram Bagh during the monsoon. People died in these, but the BMC administration or the state government has so far failed miserably in preventing such incidents.

There are many areas like Jogeshwari’s Behram Bagh, Bandra’s Behram Pada, Kurla’s Qureshi Nagar, Gulf No. 3, Bhandup’s Sonapur, Shivaji Nagar, Mankhurd’s Mandala, Nagpada, where huts ranging from three to six storeys were erected on load-bearing Huh. Even today at many places, the height of the huts is being increased due to untidy load bearing, but no action is being taken. It is being argued that BMC does not take action during monsoon.

Apart from monsoon, whenever the complaint of illegal construction work comes to the BMC or the collector during the second season, Tok goes to take action. However, often local leaders come to the rescue of construction. A few years ago, the BMC team that went to Mandala to take action was pelted with stones. The employees had fled.

All the political parties had defended that savage action, but also took out a front on the BMC ward, due to which the action had to be stopped. Even today no cracking action could be taken there. Illegal construction work in Satpe Chawl, just opposite Kurla L ward, continues even in heavy rains, on which BMC is unable to take action. Sources say that the construction work has got the blessings of the ruling party.

‘Sheikh responsible for Malvani incident’
BJP’s corporator Vinod Mishra had made a written complaint about the illegal construction work of Malvani to the Deputy District Magistrate on 29 May 2019. After Mishra, the Assistant Engineer of P-North Ward had also asked the Deputy District Magistrate to take action, but no action was taken by the Collector.

Half of Mumbai is settled illegally: Aslam Shaikh
On Vinod Mishra’s allegation, Minister Aslam Shaikh says that if seen, only half of Mumbai is illegal. Illegal construction has taken place everywhere in Mumbai. The height of the huts situated on the land of Gaonthan, Koliwada or Collector, MHADA has been increased. When the family of the person living in those huts grows, then he increases the height of the hut. The previous BJP government had raised its voice to increase the height of the huts to one or two storeys and now that their government is gone, they see illegal construction work.