RailEnquiry

Residents of the three-storey Shakuntala building in Mumbra that collapsed on early Friday early morning, killing 10 people and injuring 14 others, claim that the building collapsed due to construction works near the station area, particularly the Mumbra gate and the levelling of the road along the station using very heavy road rollers.Salahuddin Lala, a resident who also took care of all the official and management work of the building said, “At the Mumbra gate outside the station there are two 110-120 feet high pillars in an M shape. For the foundation of the pillars, the ground was dug almost 30 feet and heavy machinery like road rollers were used to level the road to facilitate an open space for a bus terminus near the station. Because of this, the foundation of the building got disturbed.” He added that the residents felt serious vibrations when the rolling work was going on and vehemently protested but the driver and contractor continued the work saying they were just following the orders.The residents also met two builders for redevelopment work for the building and a quotation for the same was prepared. However, the process was delayed due to expenses. “We never thought that the building will collapse so easily. Heavy rains must have shaken the foundation and resulted in the collapse,” said Lala.  Mohan Bharti, who owned a steel shop in the building’s ground floor said that they had checked and confirmed with the Thane Municipal Corporation, but no notice had been sent by them and nor had the building been declared dangerous in Mumbra’s dangerous buildings list. “The development of Mumbra station in past year is the main reason for the collapse. I have suffered a total loss of Rs3.5 lakhs,” he said. Dr V Subramanyam Iyer, a seismologist and resident of Thane confirmed that any activity at the foundation level that creates strong vibration can damage the foundation of the nearby building and cause cracks in their walls. “The water from the hills in Mumbra plunges down with force that can weaken the foundation of the structures around. As Mumbra has numerous dangerous buildings, water hitting them with such force makes them very vulnerable. In such cases, any repair work, as happened in Mahim’s Altaf Mansion, the pillar and beam are disturbed which can result in a collapse.”