Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Saturday ordered the director of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay to form a committee of engineers that will examine the Lloyds Estate premises in Wadala, following the collapse of its compound wall on June 25.
On June 29, a Division Bench comprising Justices Abhay Oka and Riyaz Chagla had directed all parties involved to suggest experts to investigate the mishap, while hearing a plea by Dosti Blossom Co-operative Housing Society Ltd. The plea challenged alleged inaction by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and illegal construction activity by Dosti Realty Ltd., which, it claimed, caused the compound wall to collapse.
Senior counsel Atul Damle, appearing for Dosti Blossom, submitted to the court in chamber that its representatives had contacted the director of IIT-Bombay, who had agreed to take up the responsibility. The court ordered the Director, IIT-Bombay, to constitute a committee of experts in civil, structural, and geotechnical engineering. The committee has to visit the property, including affected buildings, and suggest both immediate and long-term measures to prevent a recurrence.
The Bench observed: “At this stage, we are not delving into the merits of the petition. Due to the urgency of the situation, the expert agency must immediately begin inspecting the premises and the affected buildings.” It also asked the BMC to instruct its officers to cooperate with the IIT-Bombay committee. The developer of the plot under construction next to Lloyds Estate has been asked to bear the initial expenditure incurred by the committee. The committee has till July 6 to file a report based on its findings.