What led to Wadala landslide,  Mumbai police ask BMC

Even as the police began their investigation into the wall collapse and cave-in at Wadala’s Lloyd Estate on Monday, civic officials took a cautious stand.

Residents have alleged the soil loosened owing to the work on the neighbouring Dosti Realty. The Antop Hill police on Tuesday sent a notice to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) building proposals department (BP), asking it to clarify what led to the collapse. “We will act depending on their response,” said an officer.

Keshav Ubale, assistant commissioner of F North ward, under whose jurisdiction this area falls, said, “This issue is under the purview of the building proposals department. Only they can clarify [on the cause]. Under the ease of doing business norms, the ward office is no longer authorised to conduct inspections at under-construction sites.”

An official from the building proposals department, who did not wish to be named, said, “The [Dosti Realty] building has all its documents and permissions in place. It has a commencement certificate for the construction and approved plans.”

However, activists and residents alleged Dosti group violated its approved construction plan. “According to the approved plan, Dosti Developers were supposed to build a 650-mm concrete retaining wall around the construction site. They didn’t do it, leading to the cave-in and landslide,” said lawyer and activist Abha Singh.

GB Yadav, a resident and committee member of Lloyd Estate, said, “There is a BMC building on one side of the Dosti construction site, and Lloyd Estate on the other. The retaining wall was partially built, but on the other side.”

“The civic body has no mechanism to independently inspect a site,” said another resident.