Govt to provide Rs 4 lakh compensation to kin of victims in Mankhurd's shanties collapse incident: Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan
Mumbai, July 6
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced that compensation of Rs 4 lakh would be provided to the families of those who died when two to three shanties within a "ground-plus-three" structure collapsed in Janata Nagar, Mankhurd, State Minister Girish Mahajan said on Monday.
Speaking to reporters, Mahajan said that six people, including four children and two adults, lost their lives in the incident, and a thorough investigation will be conducted into how the building came to be.
"Heavy rainfall which has been continuous since yesterday and throughout this morning across Mumbai and its outskirts, has led to this collapse. There were six people inside the building--four children and two adults--and all six have lost their lives. Teams from the municipal corporation, the police, and the NDRF are currently on-site, working at the scene. I do not believe there were any more than these six people involved," Mahajan said.
Mahajan noted that the collapsed structure stood in a slum settlement. "This is a slum area where structures have been built... however, due to the heavy rain, the entire building has collapsed. A thorough investigation will be conducted to determine how the building was constructed, why it was built this way, and whether the necessary permissions were granted," he said.
"The CM has announced that the government will provide compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the relatives of each of the deceased," he added.
The tragedy comes amid relentless heavy rainfall that has battered Mumbai and its suburbs over the past few days.
Speaking on the incident, NDRF Assistant Commandant Sarang Kurve said, "We received information from the BMC control room at 9:30 PM; our Andheri team arrived within about 35 minutes, and our Kurla team reached the site in roughly 20 to 25 minutes. There is no one injured here right now. All six victims have been extradited and have been admitted to the nearby hospital. Around 45 of our rescuers are present here, and they are continuously carrying out the rescue operation. The structure is complex, and the weather conditions were working against us; however, our rescuers are well-trained to handle such situations, and we are continuously working to complete the operation."
Maharashtra Samajwadi Party President Abu Azmi slammed the government over the construction of shanties here, questioning its legitimacy.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Heartbreaking to see four children lose their lives like this. The rains are getting worse every year, and the poor always suffer the most. Government should focus on rehabilitating slum dwellers into proper housing, not just paying compensation after tragedies.
I live in a similar area in Chembur. These buildings are death traps. Every monsoon, we pray our walls don't cave in. The government talks about smart cities, but people here can't even afford safe shelter. CM should order a survey of all such dangerous structures before more lives are lost. 🙏
This is tragic, but I'm curious about the investigation. If the building was in a slum, it likely lacked proper permits. However, the minister's quick blame on rains seems like a cop-out. Shouldn't they address the root cause—unchecked slum construction facilitated by local politicians?
NDRF team did a good job reaching in 20-35 minutes. But why are we always reacting after the damage? These shanties have been there for years. The municipal corporation should have declared them unsafe and relocated people before the monsoon. Same story every year. 😔
Four children and two adults gone forever. What about the survivors? Did they have insurance? Will the compensation reach the families on time? Usually such announcements are made but it takes months to get the money. Also, Abu Azmi is right to question how such buildings exist. Politicians need to stop playing the blame game and act!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.