15 cars buried in collapse, FIR filed

Mumbai: The Antop Hill police has registered a case against the owner, the chairman, and the director of Dosti Realty Company, and a few civic officials, after a portion of the wall at an apartment complex in C and D wing of Lloyds Estate, Wadala (east), collapsed at 4am on Monday due to heavy rain since Sunday night. The incessant downpour led to caving in of a portion of the parking lot and road, damaging 15 out of the 20-odd cars there. There was no casualty.

A case was registered against Dosti Builders for carryifng out digging work near Lloyds Estate using heavy machinery such as vibrators, despite knowing that the same can be dangerous for the land and existing buildings. Meanwhile, residents of the C and D wing – who have been asked to evacuate the premises - accused the BMC of not taking appropriate action against Dosti Builders. Apparently, residents had filed a suit in the high court with regard to this matter but no action was taken till date.

One of the residents, Simran Parmar, who registered a complaint with the police against officials of Dosti Realty Company after the caving in on Monday, claimed, “The BMC is hand-in-glove with Dosti Builders. We have been fighting for this since two years. The alignment of our parking area is also not along a straight line owing to the digging.”

Asked why the BMC did not take necessary steps before the mishap, F-north BMC assistant commissioner Keshav Ubale said, “This is a matter of the building proposal department that we need to check. I came here for a visit and we will establish an inquiry regarding this. If found guilty, subsequently, police action will also be taken.”

Acknowledging that the mishap was caused by heavy rain since Sunday night, a spokesperson of Dosti Realty said, “Upon occurrence of the mishap, as the matter is sub-judice, we immediately requested the court to direct the court commissioner, Shantilal Jain, to visit the site and give his interim report and suggest remedial measures.

The court suggested some remedial measures, and has inter alia confirmed that as the society building rests on a pile foundation, this event will not affect its stability. We have started working on remedies suggested by the commissioner.”

Regarding the FIR lodged with the police, DCP zone 4, N. Ambika, said, “The Antop Hill police has registered a case against Dosti Realty Company’s owner Deepak Garodiya, its chairman Kishan Garodiya, and its director Rajesh Shah, and a few civic officials for undertaking illegal constructions.”