Mumbai: Kurla crane crash victim’s daughter flags parents missing from BMC list

Muskan Qureshi whose parentsrsquo home was squashed after a hydraulic crane fell onto hightension railway overhead wires in Kurla East in the early hours of Friday August 21 has alleged that the names of her parents are missing from the list of victims shared by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMCRazia Shaikh a neighbour of the Qureshis who had a narrow escape PicsRitika GondhalekarQureshi an advocate alleged that her mother received nine stitches to her head and her father had to undergo tests but they donrsquot figure on the civic bodyrsquos list which mentions only 10 people ldquoWe were shocked when the list of those injured was releasedrdquo she saidJagrulal Khan an injured electrician and dailywage worker who has been advised two monthsrsquo restShe further alleged that when questioned neither BMC nor MMDRA officials had any answers Qureshi stated that as the family had had bad experiences at Kurlarsquos Bhabha hospital her parents were initially taken to a private facility ldquoAfter my mother received stitches it was advised that she undergo a CT scan My father also needed to undergo a few tests After my mother was stitched we moved my parents to Bhabha hospital in Kurla around 4 am My motherrsquos CT scan was however done only around 11 am The results of which are awaitedrdquo she said adding that none of the officials is saying a word about compensation helping the family rebuild its house or providing alternate accommodationpopcorn numberRs 25 lakh descPenalty imposed on contractor by MMRDA classDefaultMMRDA statementThe Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority MMRDA said in a statement ldquoThe MMRDA has taken immediate steps to ensure necessary assistance to the affected persons Medical treatment of the injured has been accorded the highest priority and the contractor is being directed to provide the necessary financial compensation towards medical treatment and injuries as well as to bear the cost of repair or compensation for the hutments and vehicles damaged in the incident At the same time MMRDA has initiated action against the contractor under the applicable contractual provisions and safety requirements and a penalty of R25 lakh has been imposed on the contractor Further action if required will be taken based on the findings of the investigation by the concerned authorities The MMRDA remains committed to according the highest priority to public safety ensuring appropriate assistance and compensation to those affected and fixing accountability for any lapses in the execution of the workrdquoThe mishapWhile the crane was being positioned at the site it tilted and fell The ground at the location was soft which appears to have affected the stability of the crane The falling equipment also affected nearby slum huts at Qureshi Nagar the road at Samrat Ashok Nagar the compound wall of an MHADA building and three to four fourwheelers parked inside the MHADA building compound according to preliminary information Earlier officials had said the incident occurred during work being carried out in connection with a proposed eviction and demolition operation at the siteSole breadwinner hurtJagrulal Khan an electrician and dailywage worker said ldquoI am the only earning member of my family and earn only when I work Khan suffered injuries to his head hand and legs Doctors have advised him to take rest for at least two months ldquoTwo months without an income is a long time for a family that depends on my daily earnings I just want to recover quickly and get back to work so that I can support my familyrdquo he saidMatter of luckRazia Shaikh a Kurla resident said ldquoWe were awoken by a loud sound Scared we stepped into the gallery of our home and saw a huge crane had fallen onto the Qureshi residence which neighbours ours Luckily our house wasnrsquot damaged and none of us got hurt My husband children and I were at home when the incident happenedrdquo