A day after the mechanised parking system collapsed at Tridhaatu Aaroha, a 17-storey tower in Matunga East, police have booked three staffers of a maintenance firm for negligence. While no injuries were reported, five cars were damaged. Shockingly, the building has been operating without an Occupation Certificate (OC) and a fire NOC both essential for legal occupancy and safety clearance.
Legal and Safety Lapses
The BMC’s F/North ward Building & Factory (B&F) Department has written to the Executive Engineer (EE) of the Building Proposal (B.P.) department to take stringent action against the builder and architect for negligence. Govind Muthukumar of Tridhatu said his company had handed over the building to the Society a year ago and the upkeep of the parking system was the responsibility of the Society. He said the building was constructed as per law.
Political and Civic Response
Developed by Tridhaatu Realty, the high-rise building on K.A. Subramaniam Road near SIES high shcool has been home to several families who moved in after years of project delays and with no OC or Fire NOC. A day after the three-level mechanised parking system collapsed, the building’s gate was shut and side walls covered with green cloth, while steps were undertaken to dismantle the collapsed structure and clear the debris. One resident, speaking anonymously, said. “The building was taken for redevelopment in 2014. Even after eight years, we didn’t get possession. We moved in out of desperation. After the incident, we were told a police complaint could backfire since the building lacks an OC.”
Political and Civic Response
Nehal Shah, former BJP corporator called it a case of serious negligence, stating “The residents are not at fault. They innocently buy flats and end up suffering in buildings without OCs. This should not have happened.” Shah added that she has raised the issue with BJP party officials and will seek further action. A team from the BMC’s B.P. department inspected the site and confirmed that the building lacks key certificates such as the OC and Fire NOC. In an internal letter sent to EE (B&P city-2) (FPJ has copy of the letter), the assistant engineer of the B&F department stated, “Stringent action must be taken against the builder and architect for their negligence in allowing occupation without an OC and for carrying out faulty construction of the multilayered parking, which resulted in loss of property and poses a risk to human life.”
An FIR has been registered by the Matunga Police following the collapse of the car lift parking system during maintenance work at Tridhaatu Aaroha. The complaint was filed by Suken Vasant Shah (45), a resident and stock market professional. Police have booked three individuals under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 125, 3(5), and 324(5): Sanjay Bhikku Rajbhar, supervisor at Spartan Tech, the maintenance firm, workers Sandeep Dayaram Bhardwaj (32) and Rahul Dhura Rajbhar (25).
Corporator Shares Ordeal
Shah in his statement said, "A loud crashing sound was heard from the lower level of the building while I was at home. On rushing down with other residents, we saw that a section of the parking lot had collapsed. The collapsed area contained five parked vehicles which were damaged in the incident." Spartan Tech, located at Unit No. 2, Wagle Estate, Ram Nagar, Thane, was contracted to carry out servicing work on the building’s car lift. The collapse occurred while Bhardwaj and Rajbhar were performing the job. Matunga Police stated that the accused, along with others possibly involved, carried out the work in a negligent manner, putting lives at risk and causing property damage. An investigation is ongoing.
Details of damaged vehicles
Hyundai Creta (MH 01 EN 2984) belonging to Suken Shah, Tata Vista (MH 01 AH 7759) owned by Archana Parag Adani (52), MG Hector (MH 01 DT 3586) owned by Shubhalakshmi Ganesh Shastri (67), Maruti Suzuki Ritz (MH 01 AV 7467) owned by Dinesh Velji Shah (66), Renault Kwid (MH 01 CT 6901) used by Mugdha Vijay Vayangankar (42), owned by Tanmayee Gautam Thakur.
