MUMBAI: Days after portion of a railway retaining wall collapsed on tracks at Sandhurst Road station, Central Railway has requested Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) to carry out a third-party audit of 3 adjoining low-slung constructions.
The nearly 100-year-old constructions, that have last passed through upkeep in 1986, in addition to two godowns are situated at the bank of the Thane-bound sluggish line, at a peak of 5m. CR's leader public members of the family officer Sunil Udasi stated, "We have asked Mhada to conduct a third-party audit so that if the buildings are found to be unsafe, action can be taken. They are posing a danger to train operations."
However, residents of the constructions claim they've already completed a structural audit and submitted a report to the BMC. The report states the constructions are not unsafe.
At a gathering on July 13, Mhada officers had maintained a an identical view and stated the development is secure. However, the railways refused to subscribe to the view and the similar day, CR's senior divisional engineer (coordination) Ashutosh Gupta wrote to Mhada: "Building no. 27D, 27E and 27F and two godowns are existing near the down line side of Sandhurst Road station on the bank... Due to construction of these structures, the ground is slipping and resulting in failure of wall adjacent to the track... In case of heavy rain and landslide, there is imminent danger of these buildings collapsing over tracks."
Mhada's Mumbai Repair and Reconstruction Board leader officer DK Jagdale stated, "We feel the building is safe but we will get the safety assessed as suggested by the railways."
Residents blamed the railway authorities for deficient repairs of the retaining wall. A neighborhood, Dr Dipak Hadawle, stated, "We have been following up with the railways to strengthen the wall, but they have ignored the request. The wall is dilapidated. It collapsed on July 9 as wild trees have grown out of it and rodents have damaged it."
Another resident stated that portions of the similar wall have collapsed two times before- first time in August 1, 2010, and once more on July 21, 2014. "Earlier, there were four buidlings near the tracks. But after the 2014 collapse, the railways threatened to stop operations if one of the buildings was not demolished. So residents were shifted to Sewri and a building was unnecessarily demolished. It took two months to demolish the building, which proves there was nothing wrong with it. It is the wall which is poorly maintained," he added.
Udasi stated, "We may have to dig deep to reach the foundation of the wall and then the building will start slipping."
Local MLA Amin Patel stated a gathering of Mhada, BMC and railways' officers has been called on Monday. "The authorities want to demolish the buildings and shift the tenants. I will not allow that," he stated.
The nearly 100-year-old constructions, that have last passed through upkeep in 1986, in addition to two godowns are situated at the bank of the Thane-bound sluggish line, at a peak of 5m. CR's leader public members of the family officer Sunil Udasi stated, "We have asked Mhada to conduct a third-party audit so that if the buildings are found to be unsafe, action can be taken. They are posing a danger to train operations."
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However, residents of the constructions claim they've already completed a structural audit and submitted a report to the BMC. The report states the constructions are not unsafe.
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At a gathering on July 13, Mhada officers had maintained a an identical view and stated the development is secure. However, the railways refused to subscribe to the view and the similar day, CR's senior divisional engineer (coordination) Ashutosh Gupta wrote to Mhada: "Building no. 27D, 27E and 27F and two godowns are existing near the down line side of Sandhurst Road station on the bank... Due to construction of these structures, the ground is slipping and resulting in failure of wall adjacent to the track... In case of heavy rain and landslide, there is imminent danger of these buildings collapsing over tracks."
- ALSO READ: 442 dangerous constructions pose danger to residents, says BMC
Mhada's Mumbai Repair and Reconstruction Board leader officer DK Jagdale stated, "We feel the building is safe but we will get the safety assessed as suggested by the railways."
Residents blamed the railway authorities for deficient repairs of the retaining wall. A neighborhood, Dr Dipak Hadawle, stated, "We have been following up with the railways to strengthen the wall, but they have ignored the request. The wall is dilapidated. It collapsed on July 9 as wild trees have grown out of it and rodents have damaged it."
Another resident stated that portions of the similar wall have collapsed two times before- first time in August 1, 2010, and once more on July 21, 2014. "Earlier, there were four buidlings near the tracks. But after the 2014 collapse, the railways threatened to stop operations if one of the buildings was not demolished. So residents were shifted to Sewri and a building was unnecessarily demolished. It took two months to demolish the building, which proves there was nothing wrong with it. It is the wall which is poorly maintained," he added.
Udasi stated, "We may have to dig deep to reach the foundation of the wall and then the building will start slipping."
Local MLA Amin Patel stated a gathering of Mhada, BMC and railways' officers has been called on Monday. "The authorities want to demolish the buildings and shift the tenants. I will not allow that," he stated.
Mhada-CR spar over old buildings near tracks
![Mhada-CR spar over old buildings near tracks]()
Reviewed by Kailash
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July 15, 2018
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