Residents whose building is older than Dongri structure live in fear

A month ago Danik Khan 35 who lives on the fourth floor of the crumbling Haidery Manzil mdash located in the same lane as Kesarbai Mansion that collapsed on Tuesday mdash became a father But every day since he has been living in fear of losing his loved ones to the crumbling building Khans family is among 21 that are praying for their lives MHADA had served an eviction notice to the residents in 2007 but lack of alternative accommodation has left residents with no choice but to stay in the ramshackle structureEvery day I stand at the crossroads to see if the building is still standing and if I would be able to see the face of my son when Im home All of us are living in fear but due to the lack of money we cannot shift to another place said Khan while holding his baby with his mother and wife next to himDanik Khan with his mother wife and sonNot only has the building which is over 50 years old tilted but it has also developed cracks and its roof is starting to cave Residents said the foundation of the building has also been affected thanks to the shuttered dispensary started by a trust Despite repeated complaints the ground floor hasnt been repaired On several occasions shortcircuits have occurred at the building due to the old wiring system that could prove to be fatal if authorities dont take immediate actionCavein and cracksJahed Topiwala says the walls can fall on them at any moment Pic Bipin KokateJahed Topiwala 40 another resident showed midday how the floor is caving in All the rooms have developed cracks and the structure is loosening Even after repairing the floors you can see how undulating it is We cant even sleep on it The walls are also collapsing and they can fall on us at any moment said Topiwala who resides with his senior citizen parentsAlso readBuilding collapse Dongri a hub of illegal constructionsCancer patient Gulam Abbas with his wife Absana Pic Bipin KokateCracks have also developed in the home of Gulam Abbas 52 who is battling cancer He has been residing in the building ever since it was constructed He and his wife Absana live in a 300 sq ft flat on the fourth floor Abbas also recently lost his job due to his ongoing cancer treatment and is completely dependent on his savings I am still undergoing treatment for cancer and I am childless so there is no one to take care of us In this situation from where will I get the money to pay the rent if we are not given alternative accommodation he saidThe floor of the building has so many cracks that residents have to hide them when visitors come in Pulling up the carpet in her home resident Naseen Akhtar 55 said The whole structure has developed cracks on the floor and along the wall Any day it can just cave in and kill all of us I stay with my husband daughter brother and granddaughter who is only eight years old When it rains heavily we sit together and pray to Allah to save usCant afford rentAccording to the rules MHADA should have moved residents to transit camps But neither have they provided alternative accommodation nor agreed to give rent The residents cannot afford to pay rent out of their own pockets so they are left to live in this rickety stricture said Afzal Dawoodani a local activistHaidery Manzil comes under the umbrella of the Khoja Shia Isnaashari Jamaat Residents complained about how despite repeated warnings the trust is not providing any help eitherAlso readAfter collapse BMC notices other crumbling buildings in DongriKhan said During our last meeting with the trustee they told us that they have got a donor who would help in reconstructing the building but we would have to repay the amount within two years After staying on rent during construction and providing for our family how is it possible to repay the amount within two yearsTrust saysGulam Abbas who has been undergoing cancer treatment points to the cracks in the wall of his home in Haidery Manzil Pic Bipin KokateIn 2007 MHADA served an eviction notice to residents of Haidery Manzil declaring it as a dilapidated structure However even after over 11 years of serving the notice the authority did not disconnect the electricity and water connections Another notice midday has a copy was served in February by the trust When midday reached out to Vaishali Gadpale chief public relations officer MHADA all she said was that they would look into the matterWhen midday visited the office of the trust an official who refused to be named stated that they have been serving eviction notices to the residents but they are refusing to leave The meeting Khan referred to was held on February 2 where it was discussed that the residents would be responsible for paying rent and the cost for reconstruction of the building The minutes of the meeting read The tenants present at the meeting requested for three to four days to think over the proposalDespite repeated attempts Shabbir Mukadam one of the trustees remained unavailable for comment Safdar Karmali who works for the organisation said The trustees are not here so I cannot say anythingAlso readNew Act for quick revamp of dilapidated buildings in MumbaiCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates