BMC ignored 25-30 warning letters, finds probe

In an instance which best shows the civic administration’s apathetic and callous approach, it has come to light that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials ignored as many as 25 to 30 letters regarding restoration of the Babu Genu Market building at Dockyard Road. The shocking negligence finally led to the building collapse, killing 61 people. Local Shiv Sena leader and former corporator Yashwant Jadhav said, “For the past 12 years, I have been constantly demanding the repairs of this building. The first letter I wrote was way back on August 28, 2000, asking for provision of '50 lakh for repairs. Ever since, I have followed this matter up in various meetings of civic house and ward committees.” Apart from corporators, several letters were written by residents of the building and civic departments. However, files and papers pertaining to this building kept being tossed from one table to the other, but no action was initiated. The most recent letter written by civic markets committee chairman Saba Reddy Bora was on as late as August 8 this year, in which he demanded immediate repairs of the building. He also pointed out the illegal alterations carried out by the decorator on the ground floor. Senior civic officials say that the building needed repair was clearly known to the departments. But, officials only kept writing letters to their own departments and the ward office asking them to initiate repairs. However, the lack of implementation of concrete steps resulted in wastage of valuable time, which finally resulted in the collapse. A two-member committee of additional municipal commissioners Rajiv Jalota and Mohan Adtani will probe administrative matters, whereas a committee, headed by Laxman Vhatkar, director (engineering services and projects) will look into the technical aspects. A senior official said, “The BMC will hold a probe into the administrative lapses like tossing of files and there is a possibility that more officials will be come under the scanner during the course of the probe.”