Mumbai building collapse: Anand Mahindra looks for preventive measures
Premium- As many as 11 people were killed in the building collapse, including eight minors
- Seven people have been injured
After at least 11 people were killed when a residential building collapsed on another in Mumbai, industrialist Anand Mahindra has asked if reinforcing a high-risk structure can prevent such incidents in the future.
Using the moniker for Mumbai, the Mahindra group chairman said that the much-beloved monsoon also brings with itself "maximum tears".
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"Monsoon in the ‘Maximum City’ is also a time of the maximum tears. With the chaotic, unplanned construction of the past, so many homes are at risk in the rains," Mahindra wrote on Twitter.
"Is it possible to carry out a multi-year survey of all structures at risk and reinforce them to prevent collapse?" he further asked.
Mahindra's question came following a building collapse that engulfed a nearby residential structure in the Malad West area of Mumbai late on Wednesday night.
It also affected another residential structure in the area that is now in a "dangerous condition". The building in which is in dangerous condition has been evacuated.
The Mumbai police will register a case under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the owner of the residential structure.
"Mumbai Police to register a case under Section 304 (2) of IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against the owner of structure that collapsed and the contractor. They had recently made some structural changes after cyclone Tauktae," Joint Commissioner Police (Law and Order) Vishwas Nangre Patil said.
Among the 11 people who were killed in the incident, eight were minors.
As many as 18 people have been rescued safely, while seven people have been injured.
Rescue operations are still underway.
Maharashtra Minister Aslam Shaikh, who has also reached the incident site, said, "Buildings have collapsed due to rain. Rescue operation is underway. Injured people have been shifted to the hospital. Debris of the buildings is being removed to see if more people are stuck under it."
"It is an unfortunate incident. It was a G 2 building that fell on another building. 18 people have been rescued, of whom 11 died. Police will carry out a proper investigation and take further action," Additional CP Dilip Sawant said.
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