Collapsed Bhayander building residents were warned

The remaining residents of the 33 year-old building complex, which collapsed on Friday killing six people, were evacuated on Saturday. Lata Apartments in Kharegaon, Bhayander, has three wings that housed 208 residents.

According to Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) Ward Officer Baburao Wagh, the residents of the building were warned about the dangerous state of their building, but they chose to go to court against the corporation. "The building was in a dangerous condition and the first notice was sent to the building in 1993. A survey of the building was conducted again in 2005 and it was clearly stated that the building could collapse anytime. However, the residents went to court and case is still going on,"said Wagh.

Residents gather around the collapsedu00a0 building of Lata Apartments in
Bhayander that left six dead and four critically injured, on Friday
Pic/Pramod Dethe

Meanwhile, the remaining residents of the building have been evacuated. Udav Singh, chairman of the society said, "The building was vacated after the incident. All the residents were made to stand in a queue and two members from each family were allowed to enter their apartment along with fire officials and policemen to secure their valuables."

The residents of the building have been shifted to Nagar Palika Prabhat Samiti Hall in Bhayander. "We are co-operating with the residents and offering them regular meals and other facilities in the Samiti Hall," Wagh told Sunday MiD DAY.

However, a few residents claim that the accommodation provided to them is too crammed because of which they chose to go back to live in the area near their building.

MP Sanjeev Naik visited the site and said, "The municipal corporation should take responsibility of the other buildings in the vicinity and ensure that such incidents do not happen in the future. Instead of sending a notice, the corporation should take action in such dangerous cases. We have sent a letter to the Chief Minister asking him to demolish the building."

Naik announced a compensation of Rs 50, 000 for the families of the six deceased and Rs 25,000 for the four who were injured.