Several old buildings exist in Bhiwandi and Bhandup and residents are worried about their safety whenever monsoon season begins every year. BMC has failed to follow construction norms strictly and educate the residents of dilapidated buildings in a better way to avoid such fatal mishaps and that made matters worse in fatal mishaps. Residents on the other hand fail to adhere to Municipal instructions and pay heavy price for that as they not only lose their property as well as near and dear ones. Now BMC should check on erring builders, who resort to illegal construction without proper plan and permission. Building crash in Bhiwandi and other similar incidents have created a fear psychosis among the residents. Residents will have to seek permission from the society before making alternations within and outside the building. Even unauthorised extensions will have to be condemned and if required needs to be demolished with BMC supervision. Norms about not changing the main walls and beams had always existed but they are seldom followed.. Instead of just conducting an inquiry and just brush aside the matter BMC should have a holistic approach to the crux of the problem in building crashes of this nature. One of the various arguments given as to the causes of building collapses were laxity in implementation of building bye-laws. Whether BMC officials will pay heed to the fact and act fast before some more buildings collapse and cause major losses.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
