Cops doubt BMC will give plan

Mumbai: Police officials doubt whether the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will submit any legitimate blueprints for the Ghatkopar building that collapsed earlier this week, killing 18 people.

The Vikhroli Parksite police had asked for the blueprints of the Siddhi Saidarshan building three days ago, but are still waiting for the civic body’s reply. Some BMC officials have even gone as far as to say that they have no clue about the building’s blueprint.

Sunil Shitap, the accused in the mishap, continues to play a blame game regarding the disaster. The architect has denied having any prior knowledge about demolishing the pillar in the ground floor, which led to the tragedy.

According to sources, “The Parksite police officials team has asked for the blueprint and plan of Ghatkopar’s Siddhi Saidarshan building from the registrar of cooperative housing societies and the BMC. Although the request has been sent two days ago, BMC officials haven’t sent any paper available with them related to the building plan.”

Police officials said they need blue print to get the exact details of the structure of the building and which pillar removed by the labourers. We want to question them based on the blueprint to identify the exact pillar that was damaged, which brought down the structure.

The three-member panel formed by the BMC to probe the incident comprises of Vijay Singhal, along with VP Chitore, chief engineer (Roads) and Chandrashekhar Chore, deputy municipal commissioner (improvement). When The Asian Age asked Mr Chitore about the blueprint, which the cops are looking, for, he said, “I don't have any news about the blueprint,” while civic chief Ajoy Mehta said, “We will let you know about it soon.”

Even though the police have recorded the statements of all the residents, officials feel that the

residents were still in shock and it is only with the passage of some time that they would have more to share.

Officials are yet to get clarity on what Shitap was planning to make on the ground floor. So far, they have recorded the statement of a lady doctor who used to run Shitap’s nursing home till a month ago, when she was asked to leave ahead of the renovation.

The breaking of load-bearing pillars in the ground-floor nursing home could have led to the crash, according to the FIR registered by the police in the case. The police are also trying to track down the labourers and contractors who were working at the site, who will be questioned with the help of the building’s plan.