61 people died after the four-storied building, which housed employees of the BMC’s Market Department, collapsed exactly two years ago. No action has been initiated against those responsible for mishap
Mumbai : On September 27, 2013, the four-storied Babu Genu market building that housed employees of the BMC’s Market Department at Dockyard Road collapsed, killing 61 people. Two years later, action is still awaited against those responsible for the mishap.
After the building collapse, the BMC did eventually rehabilitate the affected families. Six families went to the SRA building in Ghatkopar (East) and nine to the MHADA complex in Saat Rasta. Financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh was also provided to the families of employees and Rs 2 lakh to relatives, but the civic body failed to take action against those responsible.
After the incident the BMC had immediately appointed a committee under two additional commissioners – Rajeev Jalota and Mohan Adtani – to probe the incident.
The report was submitted to Sitaram Kunte, the then municipal commissioner, who had forwarded it to the General Administration Department (GAD) of the BMC. But no action has been initiated by the GAD even after two years.
The committee was appointed to find out cause of collapse, fix responsibilities, suggest preventive measures to avoid such incidents and also if there was a need to change BMC’s functioning.
The committee recommended action against the officers and employees of the Market Department, Development and Planning Department and City Engineering Department. But nothing has been done in the last two years.
The GAD has to start departmental enquiry against the officers and employees, however it hasn’t happened till today, which is the second anniversary of one of the most unfortunate mishaps that the city has witnessed.
Pandurang Mhaske
