Mumbai: CM Devendra Fadnavis announces Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia for kin of victims in Mankhurd house collapse
Mumbai, July 6
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday expressed profound grief over the loss of six lives in a house collapse incident in Mumbai's Mankhurd area and announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for the kin of each deceased.
Commenting on the tragedy, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawade highlighted the illegal nature of the construction and the recurring problem of unauthorized buildings in the area.
"This was a three-storey building and it was completely illegal. There was a godown as well... The upper floors fell directly onto the neighboring house where a family was living... It was a horrific incident that took place around 8:30 AM... We tried to rescue them, but unfortunately, no one survived," Tawade said.
She further pointed out the administrative challenges in curbing such constructions in Mankhurd. "The situation here is that the Collector issues notices to those who build illegally and even demolishes the structures, but the same thing happens again 10-15 days later. The illegal houses are rebuilt immediately. This is the ongoing situation in Mankhurd," she added.
The incident occurred amid a period of intense monsoon activity in the financial capital, which has led to several rain-related accidents across the city and its suburbs.
Previously in the day, incessant rainfall triggered landslides in the Mumbai-Pune ghat section on Monday, severely disrupting both rail and road connectivity between the two cities.
Several train services were cancelled or diverted after boulders fell on railway tracks, while traffic on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the old Mumbai-Pune Highway was suspended until further notice following a major landslide.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed the situation and said restoration work was underway despite continued heavy rainfall.
"Reviewed the situation arising out of heavy landslides and boulders falling onto the railway tracks in the Mumbai-Pune ghat section. The team is fully geared up for restoration. Heavy rainfall is expected today also. Have asked both Western and Central Railway officers to work as one team to ensure early restoration of all train services," the minister said.
According to Central Railway, incessant heavy rainfall in the South East Ghat section between Karjat and Lonavala triggered a landslide between Thakurvadi (TKW) and Monkey Hill Loop Cabin (MHLC) on the Up Main Line of the Mumbai Division, forcing the cancellation and diversion of several train services.
Central Railway said local train services continue to operate on all four corridors. Services on the Main Line are running six to eight minutes behind schedule, while Harbour Line trains are delayed by around four minutes. Services on the Transharbour and Uran-Belapur lines are operating as per schedule.
Road traffic was also severely affected after a major landslide occurred on the Missing Link section of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway near the Khandala exit. The Mumbai-bound lane has been completely closed.
According to preliminary information, no casualties have been reported and efforts are underway to reopen the route.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Every monsoon same story - illegal buildings collapse and lives are lost. Mayor says they demolish but rebuilding happens in 15 days. Need stricter action against builders and better monitoring by local authorities. Mumbai cannot keep repeating this tragedy.
Sad to hear about the loss of six lives. But I wonder why the Collector's notices and demolitions don't work? Maybe need stricter penalties for repeat offenders, not just tearing down walls. And proper rehabilitation for those displaced. Terrible situation.
CM's gesture is good but the problem is systemic. People build illegally because they have no other option. Meanwhile, the BMC should also check the monsoon preparedness - landslides on expressway and train delays show how climate change is hitting us. Weather is getting wilder every year. 🌧️
Respectful criticism: The government keeps announcing compensation after accidents, but prevention is cheaper than cure. Why not use that ₹5 lakh per family to reinforce 100 illegal buildings? Or create a fast-track process for legalizing safe structures? Just my two cents.
My heart goes out to the families. Mankhurd has so many illegal buildings, its a ticking time bomb every monsoon. The authorities should use satellite mapping and drones to identify new constructions immediately. Also, the train delays and landslides are making life so difficult for daily commuters. Stay safe everyone! 🙏
D We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.