Another building collapses in Mumbai killing 14 so far and exposing the dangers of living in India’s financial capital one more time

• 14 people have lost their lives in the building collapse in Mumbai’s Dongri area.
  
• More than 50 people are still feared to be trapped in the debris.
  
• NDRF has deployed three teams to the site of the collapse and five people have been rescued from the debris.
  
• Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said an investigation would be launched into the case to decide responsibility for the mishap.
  

The death toll in Mumbai building collapse has reached 14 while more than 50 others are still feared to be trapped in the debris of a 100-year old Dongri building that collapsed yesterday.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which is at the site of the collapse, has rescued five people so far, according to reports. It had deployed three teams who are still looking for the survivors.

As many as ten ambulances and fire brigade vehicles are stationed at the locality. The situation worsened as rains flooded the narrow lanes of the locality, making rescue tougher.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.

Collapse of a building in Mumbai’s Dongri is anguishing. My condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. I hope the injured recover soon. Maharashtra Government, NDRF and local authorities are working on rescue operations & assisting those in need: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 16, 2019

Even as the rescue efforts were on, various government departments have started the blame game. The housing authority Mhada claims that the building was illegal. But the victims have been claiming that Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been negligent. A BMC official told Times of India that Mhada has been collecting cess on it, and hence is not illegal.

The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis had ordered an investigation into the case yesterday.

Not the first, won’t be the last

Mumbai with many old buildings that provide its residents with cheap accommodation, is known to sacrifice lives in lieu of rent.

In April 2013, 74 people were killed in a building collapse in Thane. It included 18 children, while 60 others were injured. In a similar incident in September 2017, 61 people lost their lives and more than 30 were injured in a building collapse in Mazgaon area of Mumbai, as per reports.

Most of the buildings owned by the Maharashtra Housing and Development Authority, are dilapidated and in urgent need of repair and redevelopment.

Residents of the locality say they have been reaching out to officials for redevelopment of the building for the last three years, but no action was taken. “We have been visiting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for funds to repair the buildings. We are told that there are no funds,” a resident said.

In December 2018, three people died and eight were injured when an under construction building came down in Mumbai’s suburbs of Goregaon. In September 2017, there a building collapsed in Bhendi Bazaar which took 33 lives and left two people injured. The building was reportedly 117-years old.