<p>The morning after the deck of a foot overbridge outside CSMT station collapsed, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mumbai-foot-overbridge-collapse-death-toll-rises-to-six-fir-registered-203405">killing six people and leaving 31 injured</a>, the Brihnamumbai Municipal Corporation chief will chair a meeting to decide on the future course of action for the structure.</p>

<p>A BMC spokesperson said civic commissioner Ajoy Mehta will meet Road and Bride department officials Friday and then take a call on dismantling the entire FOB.</p>

<p>On Friday morning, the BMC kept the busy DN Road blocked as part of the post-collapse safety stipulations and civic staff went about dismantling the entire deck of the FOB.</p>

<p>"DN Road (on which the FOB stood) has been blocked as a precautionary measure. BMC commissioner Mehta has called a meeting on this to decide on its re-opening," another civic official said.</p>

<p>He added that the FOB was found structurally safe when it was audited in August 2016, soon after a British-era bridge over Savitri River got washed away in monsoon downpour in Mahad in Raigad district.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after meeting those injured in footover bridge collapse in Mumbai: There are around 10 injured admitted in the ward, one in ICU; all out of danger now. High-level enquiry will be done to probe into the matter. FIR has been lodged. <a href="https://t.co/gBgsukeKe2">pic.twitter.com/gBgsukeKe2</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1106415634621960192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>"During that audit, 354 bridges were checked for their structural soundness. The FOB that collapsed on Thursday was marked C2B. This means it needed minor repairs only. Tenders were floated for the repair but it got held up," the official said.</p>

<p>"We will investigate whether the tender was held up by the BMC Standing Committee or the Road and Bridge department," he said.</p>

<p>Among the deceased, Apoorva Prabhu, Ranjana Tambe and Bhakti Shinde were nurses working in GT Hospital about half a kilometre away from the FOB. Others who died in the collapse were Zahid Shiraj Khan (32), Tapendra Singh (28) and Mohan, officials said.</p>

<p>Among the injured was Atmaram Yedge (32) who sold bananas on the FOB. He has received injuries to his head, back and arms.</p>

<p>Activists, meanwhile, said strict action should be taken against errant officials and those who had audited the overbridge and found it "safe".</p>

<p>Subhash Gupta, president of Rail Yatri Parishad said, "The days of blame game should be over now. Action should be taken against the auditors who certified this FOB structurally safe."</p>

<p>He also said that Central Railway, which has said the FOB belongs to the civic body, cannot wash its hands off the episode as the bridge was used by railway passengers.</p>

<p>"If accountability is not fixed, such incidents will keep taking place. The average Mumbaikars does not care whose job it was to keep the bridge safe," Congress leader Milind Deora said.</p>

<p>Suhas Pandey, a relative of a person injured in the incident, demanded to fix of accountability at the highest level.</p>

<p>"BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta must be booked for this incident," he said.</p>

<p>He also hit out at politicians visiting the injured in hospitals, alleging that they were doing it for publicity.</p>

<p>Criminal lawyer Tanveer Nizam called it a case of negligence and said the concerned officials should be held responsible for the deaths in the incident.</p>

<p>A case has been registered against officials of Central Railway and the BMC in connection with the incident, police said Thursday.</p>

<p>"We have registered an offence under section 304A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC at the Azad Maidan police station," Manjunath Singe, Mumbai police spokesperson, had said hours after the incident.&nbsp;</p>


The morning after the deck of a foot overbridge outside CSMT station collapsed, killing six people and leaving 31 injured, the Brihnamumbai Municipal Corporation chief will chair a meeting to decide on the future course of action for the structure.

The morning after the deck of a foot overbridge outside CSMT station collapsed, killing six people and leaving 31 injured, the Brihnamumbai Municipal Corporation chief will chair a meeting to decide on the future course of action for the structure. A BMC spokesperson said civic commissioner Ajoy Mehta will meet Road and Bride department officials Friday and then take a call on dismantling the entire FOB. On Friday morning, the BMC kept the busy DN Road blocked as part of the post-collapse safety stipulations and civic staff went about dismantling the entire deck of the FOB. "DN Road (on which the FOB stood) has been blocked as a precautionary measure. BMC commissioner Mehta has called a meeting on this to decide on its re-opening," another civic official said. He added that the FOB was found structurally safe when it was audited in August 2016, soon after a British-era bridge over Savitri River got washed away in monsoon downpour in Mahad in Raigad district. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after meeting those injured in footover bridge collapse in Mumbai: There are around 10 injured admitted in the ward, one in ICU; all out of danger now. High-level enquiry will be done to probe into the matter. FIR has been lodged. pic.twitter.com/gBgsukeKe2 — ANI (@ANI) March 15, 2019 × "During that audit, 354 bridges were checked for their structural soundness. The FOB that collapsed on Thursday was marked C2B. This means it needed minor repairs only. Tenders were floated for the repair but it got held up," the official said. "We will investigate whether the tender was held up by the BMC Standing Committee or the Road and Bridge department," he said. Among the deceased, Apoorva Prabhu, Ranjana Tambe and Bhakti Shinde were nurses working in GT Hospital about half a kilometre away from the FOB. Others who died in the collapse were Zahid Shiraj Khan (32), Tapendra Singh (28) and Mohan, officials said. Among the injured was Atmaram Yedge (32) who sold bananas on the FOB. He has received injuries to his head, back and arms. Activists, meanwhile, said strict action should be taken against errant officials and those who had audited the overbridge and found it "safe". Subhash Gupta, president of Rail Yatri Parishad said, "The days of blame game should be over now. Action should be taken against the auditors who certified this FOB structurally safe." He also said that Central Railway, which has said the FOB belongs to the civic body, cannot wash its hands off the episode as the bridge was used by railway passengers. "If accountability is not fixed, such incidents will keep taking place. The average Mumbaikars does not care whose job it was to keep the bridge safe," Congress leader Milind Deora said. Suhas Pandey, a relative of a person injured in the incident, demanded to fix of accountability at the highest level. "BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta must be booked for this incident," he said. He also hit out at politicians visiting the injured in hospitals, alleging that they were doing it for publicity. Criminal lawyer Tanveer Nizam called it a case of negligence and said the concerned officials should be held responsible for the deaths in the incident. A case has been registered against officials of Central Railway and the BMC in connection with the incident, police said Thursday. "We have registered an offence under section 304A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC at the Azad Maidan police station," Manjunath Singe, Mumbai police spokesperson, had said hours after the incident.

Mumbai bridge collapse: BMC to decide on dismantling structure

6 people killed and 31 injured in Mumbai's Bridge collapse

<p>Bombay High court today lashed out at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) lawyer demanding an explanation on whether &quot;the terrace was illegally occupied,&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;How could you give a license to operate even an eating house at the premises?&quot; questioned the High Court.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ex-senior policeman Julio Rebeirro previously filed a PIL in the case. The Bombay High Court&#39;s move came after Rebeirro&#39;s PIL was filed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the BMC lawyer stated in their defence the fact that the eating joints had obtained permissions, &quot;by misrepresentation of facts with the help of some BMC officials and initially 12 BMC officials have been found at fault.&quot;</p>

<p>The lawyer further added that an inquiry has also been initiated by the Additional Municipal Commissioner against various BMC departments and officials &quot;to fix the responsibility and take action.&quot;</p>

<p>A deadly fire tore through Kamala Mills complex on December 28 claiming 14 lives. The majority of those killed were attending a birthday party at a rooftop restaurant.</p>

<p>Kamala Mills owner Ramesh Govani and Mojo&#39;s Bistro waiter Sayeed Ali are in judicial custody till February 12.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Five other accused -- Yug Tuli, Yug Pathak, Abhijit Mankar, Jigar Sanghvi and Kripesh Sanghvi -- were granted bail by a Mumbai court.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The BMC, in its reports, had confirmed that the fire started from Mojo&#39;s Bistro restaurant and spread rapidly to &#39;1 Above&#39;&nbsp;restaurant.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


'How could you give a license to operate even an eating house at the premises?' questioned the High Court

Bombay High court today lashed out at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) lawyer demanding an explanation on whether "the terrace was illegally occupied,". "How could you give a license to operate even an eating house at the premises?" questioned the High Court. Ex-senior policeman Julio Rebeirro previously filed a PIL in the case. The Bombay High Court's move came after Rebeirro's PIL was filed. Meanwhile, the BMC lawyer stated in their defence the fact that the eating joints had obtained permissions, "by misrepresentation of facts with the help of some BMC officials and initially 12 BMC officials have been found at fault." The lawyer further added that an inquiry has also been initiated by the Additional Municipal Commissioner against various BMC departments and officials "to fix the responsibility and take action." A deadly fire tore through Kamala Mills complex on December 28 claiming 14 lives. The majority of those killed were attending a birthday party at a rooftop restaurant. Kamala Mills owner Ramesh Govani and Mojo's Bistro waiter Sayeed Ali are in judicial custody till February 12. Five other accused -- Yug Tuli, Yug Pathak, Abhijit Mankar, Jigar Sanghvi and Kripesh Sanghvi -- were granted bail by a Mumbai court. The BMC, in its reports, had confirmed that the fire started from Mojo's Bistro restaurant and spread rapidly to '1 Above' restaurant.

Kamala Mills fire: Was the terrace illegally occupied? Bombay High Court asks BMC

<p>After the Mumbai Kamala Mills fire that broke out late Thursday night, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolition has started a drive against illegal structures in and around the area.</p>

<p>The BMC demolished several illegal structures of Kamala Mills area and Lower Parel&#39;s Raghuvanshi Mill Compound.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mumbai: BMC action against illegal structures in Lower Parel&#39;s Raghuvanshi Mill compound. <a href="https://t.co/2GDTqSchve">pic.twitter.com/2GDTqSchve</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/946976906989027328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">BMC&#39;s demolition drive against illegal structures in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamalaMills?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamalaMills</a> area of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mumbai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mumbai</a>, a fire that broke out here late Thursday night, claimed 14 lives. <a href="https://t.co/w71mc27yP8">pic.twitter.com/w71mc27yP8</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/946978026134257664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation&#39;s (BMC) demolition drive against illegal structures in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamalaMills?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamalaMills</a> area of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mumbai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mumbai</a>, a fire that broke out here late Thursday night, claimed 14 lives. <a href="https://t.co/qODi4TGeae">pic.twitter.com/qODi4TGeae</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/946979539703414785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The fire in the area was the outcome of the alleged irresponsibility and ignorance of the municipal and the pub authorities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 14 deaths in the Kamla Mills fire were caused due to suffocation. The people died due to the fumes as there was no proper exit from the pub.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the incident, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis&nbsp;had assured to take action against errant civic officials and the owners of the pub. He had also ordered safety audit of all such structures in the city.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The police have booked a fire against the pub owners, also five&nbsp;officials of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) were suspended for running out the pub in an illegal space.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation&#39;s (BMC) continues demolition drive against illegal structures in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamalaMills?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamalaMills</a> area of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mumbai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mumbai</a>, a fire that broke out here late Thursday night, claimed 14 lives. <a href="https://t.co/vfpnDTFLcB">pic.twitter.com/vfpnDTFLcB</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/947011268371611649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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The BMC demolished several illegal structures of Kamla Mills area and Lower Parel's Raghuvanshi Mill Compound

After the Mumbai Kamala Mills fire that broke out late Thursday night, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolition has started a drive against illegal structures in and around the area. The BMC demolished several illegal structures of Kamala Mills area and Lower Parel's Raghuvanshi Mill Compound. Mumbai: BMC action against illegal structures in Lower Parel's Raghuvanshi Mill compound. pic.twitter.com/2GDTqSchve — ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2017 × BMC's demolition drive against illegal structures in #KamalaMills area of #Mumbai, a fire that broke out here late Thursday night, claimed 14 lives. pic.twitter.com/w71mc27yP8 — ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2017 × Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) demolition drive against illegal structures in #KamalaMills area of #Mumbai, a fire that broke out here late Thursday night, claimed 14 lives. pic.twitter.com/qODi4TGeae — ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2017 × The fire in the area was the outcome of the alleged irresponsibility and ignorance of the municipal and the pub authorities. The 14 deaths in the Kamla Mills fire were caused due to suffocation. The people died due to the fumes as there was no proper exit from the pub. After the incident, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had assured to take action against errant civic officials and the owners of the pub. He had also ordered safety audit of all such structures in the city. The police have booked a fire against the pub owners, also five officials of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) were suspended for running out the pub in an illegal space. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) continues demolition drive against illegal structures in #KamalaMills area of #Mumbai, a fire that broke out here late Thursday night, claimed 14 lives. pic.twitter.com/vfpnDTFLcB — ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2017 ×

After Kamala Mills fire, BMC executes demolition drive against illegal structures

<p>In a major crackdown, civic officials in Mumbai today demolished illegal structures in at least 100 restaurants and pubs, a day after a blaze in an upscale pub claimed 14 lives.</p>

<p>The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) initiated a mega demolition drive and had razed illegal, unauthorised structures of at least 100 restaurants and pubs across the city till afternoon, an official said.</p>

<p>As many as 1,000 officials and employees of the civic body had hit the streets and become a part of the exercise, he added.</p>

<p>&quot;The unauthorised hotels and restaurants, not only in central Mumbai but also those located in the distant suburbs, such as Malad and Mulund, are facing action,&quot; BMC spokesperson Ram Dotonde said.</p>

<p>A major portion of the popular Zaffran Hotel, located opposite the police headquarters in south Mumbai, was removed, he added.</p>

<p>&quot;There are 24 wards in Mumbai and each has three teams personally inspecting all the restaurants, pubs, food joints and eateries. Each team has 10 members, including officials from the health and administration departments and inspectors,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Once the team finds an unauthorised structure, it is brought down immediately, Dotonde added.</p>

<p>The civic administration has asked its entire staff to remain on duty. Leave and weekly offs of the staff of several departments, including the anti-encroachment department, have been cancelled and they have been given a detailed list of restaurants and pubs, where violations were found during the preliminary inspection, he said.</p>

<p>&quot;The number of eateries and restaurants, where the unauthorised structures have been removed so far, must be more than 100. The action will continue till we remove all such structures,&quot; the spokesperson added.</p>

<p>The other areas where the drive was carried out included Shivaji Park, Mulund, Dahisar, Malad, the Parsi Gymkhana near Marine Lines, Grant Road, Andheri and Ghatkopar.</p>

<p>The civic body has also directed its officials to form teams to ensure that restaurants and bars follow the safety norms, in view of the New Year parties.</p>

<p>Early in the morning, the civic teams removed the illegal roofs of two restaurants -- &#39;Skyview Caf&#39; and &#39;Social&#39; at Kamala Mills as also encroachments of &#39;Pranay&#39;, &#39;Fumes&#39; and &#39;Sheesha Sky Lounge&#39; at Raghuvanshi Mills in the same locality, BMC officials said.</p>

<p>Civic chief Ajoy Mehta, in a message to all the BMC assistant municipal commissioners and deputy commissioners, said all zonal deputy commissioners and ward officers were requested to form a team comprising the staff of the building and factory departments, medical health officer and the fire department.</p>

<p>The teams will inspect all the restaurants in their respective wards and ensure that they are fire-compliant, the message said.</p>

<p>The premises should have fire-escape routes, staircases and open spaces, free from encroachment, it added.</p>

<p>After the blaze, the BMC had yesterday suspended five officials for &quot;dereliction of duty&quot;.</p>

<p>A fire brigade official said they were trying to ascertain what exactly had triggered the inferno.</p>

<p>&quot;We are probing if the flames created during a fire-stunt by a bartender at the pub came in contact with plastic sheets that covered the bamboo structure and triggered the blaze. We are also trying to find out whether the burning coal used for hookah at the adjacent restaurant led to the tragedy,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>&quot;We are also taking into consideration all other possibilities, including that of a short-circuit,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, a senior police official said that lookout notices were today issued against Hitesh Sanghvi and Jigar Sanghvi, the co-owners of &#39;1 Above&#39;, the ill-fated pub which caught fire. The pub was run by &#39;C Grade Hospitality&#39;.</p>

<p>Yesterday, the police had booked the Sanghvi brothers, another co-owner Abhijeet Manka and others in connection with the case.</p>

<p>The massive fire that had swept through the pub left 14 people dead and 21 injured. The same central Mumbai area -- a former textile mill district, now dotted by swanky glass-and- concrete towers -- had witnessed the death of 23 people in a stampede at a railway overbridge on September 29.</p>


BMC initiated a mega demolition drive and had razed illegal, unauthorised structures

In a major crackdown, civic officials in Mumbai today demolished illegal structures in at least 100 restaurants and pubs, a day after a blaze in an upscale pub claimed 14 lives. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) initiated a mega demolition drive and had razed illegal, unauthorised structures of at least 100 restaurants and pubs across the city till afternoon, an official said. As many as 1,000 officials and employees of the civic body had hit the streets and become a part of the exercise, he added. "The unauthorised hotels and restaurants, not only in central Mumbai but also those located in the distant suburbs, such as Malad and Mulund, are facing action," BMC spokesperson Ram Dotonde said. A major portion of the popular Zaffran Hotel, located opposite the police headquarters in south Mumbai, was removed, he added. "There are 24 wards in Mumbai and each has three teams personally inspecting all the restaurants, pubs, food joints and eateries. Each team has 10 members, including officials from the health and administration departments and inspectors," he said. Once the team finds an unauthorised structure, it is brought down immediately, Dotonde added. The civic administration has asked its entire staff to remain on duty. Leave and weekly offs of the staff of several departments, including the anti-encroachment department, have been cancelled and they have been given a detailed list of restaurants and pubs, where violations were found during the preliminary inspection, he said. "The number of eateries and restaurants, where the unauthorised structures have been removed so far, must be more than 100. The action will continue till we remove all such structures," the spokesperson added. The other areas where the drive was carried out included Shivaji Park, Mulund, Dahisar, Malad, the Parsi Gymkhana near Marine Lines, Grant Road, Andheri and Ghatkopar. The civic body has also directed its officials to form teams to ensure that restaurants and bars follow the safety norms, in view of the New Year parties. Early in the morning, the civic teams removed the illegal roofs of two restaurants -- 'Skyview Caf' and 'Social' at Kamala Mills as also encroachments of 'Pranay', 'Fumes' and 'Sheesha Sky Lounge' at Raghuvanshi Mills in the same locality, BMC officials said. Civic chief Ajoy Mehta, in a message to all the BMC assistant municipal commissioners and deputy commissioners, said all zonal deputy commissioners and ward officers were requested to form a team comprising the staff of the building and factory departments, medical health officer and the fire department. The teams will inspect all the restaurants in their respective wards and ensure that they are fire-compliant, the message said. The premises should have fire-escape routes, staircases and open spaces, free from encroachment, it added. After the blaze, the BMC had yesterday suspended five officials for "dereliction of duty". A fire brigade official said they were trying to ascertain what exactly had triggered the inferno. "We are probing if the flames created during a fire-stunt by a bartender at the pub came in contact with plastic sheets that covered the bamboo structure and triggered the blaze. We are also trying to find out whether the burning coal used for hookah at the adjacent restaurant led to the tragedy," he said. "We are also taking into consideration all other possibilities, including that of a short-circuit," he added. Meanwhile, a senior police official said that lookout notices were today issued against Hitesh Sanghvi and Jigar Sanghvi, the co-owners of '1 Above', the ill-fated pub which caught fire. The pub was run by 'C Grade Hospitality'. Yesterday, the police had booked the Sanghvi brothers, another co-owner Abhijeet Manka and others in connection with the case. The massive fire that had swept through the pub left 14 people dead and 21 injured. The same central Mumbai area -- a former textile mill district, now dotted by swanky glass-and- concrete towers -- had witnessed the death of 23 people in a stampede at a railway overbridge on September 29.

100 illegal structures demolished in BMC crackdown after blaze

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolition drive against the illegal structures in Kamala Mills areas ended for today in Mumbai on Saturday evening.</p>

<p>It will resume tomorrow.</p>

<p>The drive was initiated just a day after the devastating blaze at two upscale restrobars claimed lives of 14 people.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Front reception/entrance of restaurant 1Above and Mojo&#39;s being demolished by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in its drive against illegal structures in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamalaMills?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamalaMills</a> area of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mumbai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mumbai</a> <a href="https://t.co/hA8lAGst9k">pic.twitter.com/hA8lAGst9k</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/947083343568318464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) continues with its demolition drive against illegal structures in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamalaMills?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamalaMills</a> area of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mumbai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mumbai</a>; entrance porch of Trade House building also demolished <a href="https://t.co/ffhh5G4aNH">pic.twitter.com/ffhh5G4aNH</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/947082401896849409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LatestVisuals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LatestVisuals</a> of demolition drive by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) against illegal structures in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamalaMills?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamalaMills</a> area of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mumbai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mumbai</a>, a fire that broke out here late Thursday night, claimed 14 lives. <a href="https://t.co/ZsdFMXY1Ng">pic.twitter.com/ZsdFMXY1Ng</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/947077601452892162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) continues with its demolition drive against illegal structures in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamalaMills?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamalaMills</a> area of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mumbai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mumbai</a>; entrance porch of Trade House building also demolished <a href="https://t.co/m1LDwxMGrM">pic.twitter.com/m1LDwxMGrM</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/947079007836581888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Shiv Sena-led Mumbai civic body ordered fire safety audits of all restaurants in the city.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Several illegal structures have been demolished at six places in Mumbai since morning.</p>

<p>As New Year is also approaching, all concerned departments have been directed by Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta to form teams which should include fire staff to inspect all restaurants.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The teams have been directed to ensure that restaurants are fire compliant and all the fire escape routes, staircases, and open spaces should be encroachment-free.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per media reports, the fire had broken out from the &#39;1 Above&#39; rooftop restaurant and later spread to the entire area, on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.</p>

<p>Earlier, the police issued a lookout notice against all the accused in the case.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Airports across the country have also been put on high-alert and five teams of the Mumbai Police have been formed to search for the accused.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The Shiv Sena-led Mumbai civic body ordered fire safety audits of all restaurants in the city

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolition drive against the illegal structures in Kamala Mills areas ended for today in Mumbai on Saturday evening. It will resume tomorrow. The drive was initiated just a day after the devastating blaze at two upscale restrobars claimed lives of 14 people. Front reception/entrance of restaurant 1Above and Mojo's being demolished by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in its drive against illegal structures in #KamalaMills area of #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/hA8lAGst9k — ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2017 × Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) continues with its demolition drive against illegal structures in #KamalaMills area of #Mumbai; entrance porch of Trade House building also demolished pic.twitter.com/ffhh5G4aNH — ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2017 × #LatestVisuals of demolition drive by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) against illegal structures in #KamalaMills area of #Mumbai, a fire that broke out here late Thursday night, claimed 14 lives. pic.twitter.com/ZsdFMXY1Ng — ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2017 × Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) continues with its demolition drive against illegal structures in #KamalaMills area of #Mumbai; entrance porch of Trade House building also demolished pic.twitter.com/m1LDwxMGrM — ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2017 × The Shiv Sena-led Mumbai civic body ordered fire safety audits of all restaurants in the city. Several illegal structures have been demolished at six places in Mumbai since morning. As New Year is also approaching, all concerned departments have been directed by Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta to form teams which should include fire staff to inspect all restaurants. The teams have been directed to ensure that restaurants are fire compliant and all the fire escape routes, staircases, and open spaces should be encroachment-free. As per media reports, the fire had broken out from the '1 Above' rooftop restaurant and later spread to the entire area, on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. Earlier, the police issued a lookout notice against all the accused in the case. Airports across the country have also been put on high-alert and five teams of the Mumbai Police have been formed to search for the accused.

BMC's demolition drive against illegal structures ends, will resume tomorrow

<p>An activist has said he had warned the BMC -- the Mumbai civic body -- about illegal structures in the Kamala Mills premises but that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation replied there is &quot;nothing wrong here&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I made several complaints regarding illegal structures in &nbsp;Kamala Mills&#39; premises, but the BMC replied that there is nothing wrong here,&quot; Mangesh Kalaskar said Friday. Kalaksar is also with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/video-14-killed-in-mumbai-fire-as-birthday-celebration-turns-into-nightmare-28021" target="_blank">fire broke out</a> early Friday morning at the 1 Above restaurant at the Kamala Mills complex.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Fourteen people died in the fire, 11 of them women</p>

<p>Kamala Mills is an old mill complex which now houses swanky restaurants and offices.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The fire is thought to have been caused by a short circuit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An eyewitness said the entire area was engulfed in flames soon after the fire started.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She added that there was a stampede since no one knew where the fire-escape doors were.&nbsp;</p>

<p>News reports said there were no fire extinguishers inside the restaurant. There were also no emergency exits.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The reports added that the restaurant&#39;s roof was made of dry bamboo which only helped the fire spread faster.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The reports said the fire brigade had also found illegal constructions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant demanded, in the Lok Sabha, a judicial inquiry into the fire.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">BMC officials are responsible for the murder of people in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamalaMills?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamalaMills</a> fire, second such incident in two weeks, when will the BMC wake up?: Kirit Somaiya,BJP Mumbai MP <a href="https://t.co/4t73av8nO8">pic.twitter.com/4t73av8nO8</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/946627749644460032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he had ordered the BMC to carry out an &quot;in-depth inquiry&quot; and take strong action against the officials responsible.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Inquiry has been ordered,a report will be sought to see who is responsible and action will be taken,&quot; BMC Mayor Vishvanath Mahadeshwar said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


The charge was made by Mangesh Kalaskar, an activist who also belongs to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena

An activist has said he had warned the BMC -- the Mumbai civic body -- about illegal structures in the Kamala Mills premises but that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation replied there is "nothing wrong here". "I made several complaints regarding illegal structures in Kamala Mills' premises, but the BMC replied that there is nothing wrong here," Mangesh Kalaskar said Friday. Kalaksar is also with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. A fire broke out early Friday morning at the 1 Above restaurant at the Kamala Mills complex. Fourteen people died in the fire, 11 of them women Kamala Mills is an old mill complex which now houses swanky restaurants and offices. The fire is thought to have been caused by a short circuit. An eyewitness said the entire area was engulfed in flames soon after the fire started. She added that there was a stampede since no one knew where the fire-escape doors were. News reports said there were no fire extinguishers inside the restaurant. There were also no emergency exits. The reports added that the restaurant's roof was made of dry bamboo which only helped the fire spread faster. The reports said the fire brigade had also found illegal constructions. Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant demanded, in the Lok Sabha, a judicial inquiry into the fire. BMC officials are responsible for the murder of people in #KamalaMills fire, second such incident in two weeks, when will the BMC wake up?: Kirit Somaiya,BJP Mumbai MP pic.twitter.com/4t73av8nO8 — ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2017 × Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he had ordered the BMC to carry out an "in-depth inquiry" and take strong action against the officials responsible. "Inquiry has been ordered,a report will be sought to see who is responsible and action will be taken," BMC Mayor Vishvanath Mahadeshwar said.

Mumbai fire: Had warned BMC about Kamala Mills, says activist, they replied 'nothing wrong here'?

<p>Five officials of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) were suspended after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-how-the-tragic-incident-happened-625">a massive blaze killed 14 people in the Kamala Mills compound</a> in Lower Parel area of Central Mumbai early on Friday. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the site to take stock of the situation.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CCTVVisuals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CCTVVisuals</a> of people evacuating, rushing out during the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamalaMillsFire?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamalaMillsFire</a> incident in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mumbai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mumbai</a> in the late night hours. <a href="https://t.co/YytzcHGtj4">pic.twitter.com/YytzcHGtj4</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/946756344077467650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Here is a quick fact sheet on the mishap:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<ol>
	<li>Fadnavis today promised action against errant civic officials and the owners of a pub, adding that he had ordered safety audit of all such structures in the city. &quot;The guilty won&#39;t be spared,&quot; Fadnavis said.<br />
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>BJP MP Kirit Somaiya said he had asked Fadnavis and the BMC commissioner to order a special fire audit of all such pubs and hooka parlours in Mumbai. &quot;Several such <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/mumbai-fire-had-warned-bmc-about-kamala-mills-says-activist-they-replied-nothing-wrong-here-28040">establishments at the Mills compound are illegal</a>, part of which was regularised lately. The place where the blaze took place was illegal,&quot; he claimed.<br />
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kamala-mills-fire-how-it-happened-28017">The fire started at 12.30 am</a> on Friday in 1 Above restaurant and quickly spread to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/mumbai-building-fire-no-cylinder-at-our-facility-all-guests-safe-says-mojos-bistro-28065">Mojo&#39;s Bistro</a> next door. The majority of those killed were women attending a birthday party at a rooftop restaurant.<br />
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Doctors said they died of asphyxiation, apparently as they tried to flee the burning building. Local media reported that a false ceiling had collapsed in the four-storey building.<br />
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>More than 12 fire tenders were rushed to fight the blaze. A rescue operation was launched to pull out the people trapped inside the pub. The fire was finally brought under control around 6.30 am.<br />
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Among those killed was <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/mumbai-fire-woman-whose-birthday-it-was-is-among-14-dead-28034">Khushboo Mehta</a>, who was celebrating her 29th birthday at the restaurant. An eyewitness said the place was engulfed in flames soon after the fire started. She added that there was a stampede since no one knew where the fire-escape doors were.<br />
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Police said they were investigating the cause of the fire, and had filed a preliminary case against the restaurant&#39;s owners.<br />
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Police have booked Hratesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Manka of C Grade Hospitality, which manages the pub, along with others, under various charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. They are also charged IPC sections 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others).<br />
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Several media outlets, including TV news channels Times Now, ET Now and TV9 Marathi, have offices in the complex.<br />
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind expressed anguish over the tragedy. &quot;Anguished by the fire in Mumbai. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. I pray that those injured recover quickly,&quot; the Prime Minister&#39;s Office tweeted.</li>
</ol>


Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, visited the site to take stock of the situation

Five officials of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) were suspended after a massive blaze killed 14 people in the Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel area of Central Mumbai early on Friday. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the site to take stock of the situation. #WATCH #CCTVVisuals of people evacuating, rushing out during the #KamalaMillsFire incident in #Mumbai in the late night hours. pic.twitter.com/YytzcHGtj4 — ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2017 × Here is a quick fact sheet on the mishap: Fadnavis today promised action against errant civic officials and the owners of a pub, adding that he had ordered safety audit of all such structures in the city. "The guilty won't be spared," Fadnavis said. BJP MP Kirit Somaiya said he had asked Fadnavis and the BMC commissioner to order a special fire audit of all such pubs and hooka parlours in Mumbai. "Several such establishments at the Mills compound are illegal, part of which was regularised lately. The place where the blaze took place was illegal," he claimed. The fire started at 12.30 am on Friday in 1 Above restaurant and quickly spread to Mojo's Bistro next door. The majority of those killed were women attending a birthday party at a rooftop restaurant. Doctors said they died of asphyxiation, apparently as they tried to flee the burning building. Local media reported that a false ceiling had collapsed in the four-storey building. More than 12 fire tenders were rushed to fight the blaze. A rescue operation was launched to pull out the people trapped inside the pub. The fire was finally brought under control around 6.30 am. Among those killed was Khushboo Mehta, who was celebrating her 29th birthday at the restaurant. An eyewitness said the place was engulfed in flames soon after the fire started. She added that there was a stampede since no one knew where the fire-escape doors were. Police said they were investigating the cause of the fire, and had filed a preliminary case against the restaurant's owners. Police have booked Hratesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Manka of C Grade Hospitality, which manages the pub, along with others, under various charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. They are also charged IPC sections 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others). Several media outlets, including TV news channels Times Now, ET Now and TV9 Marathi, have offices in the complex. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind expressed anguish over the tragedy. "Anguished by the fire in Mumbai. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. I pray that those injured recover quickly," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.

Mumbai building fire: 5 civic body officials suspended after 14 killed in massive blaze

<p>Mumbai will soon see rooftop restaurants in hotels and shopping malls.&nbsp;The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)&nbsp;has given permission to&nbsp;open&nbsp;rooftop restaurants in India&#39;s financial capital.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The hotels and restaurants from now onwards will be able to utilise the rooftop space.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The BMC had previously banned such rooftop hotels calling them &quot;illegal&quot;.&nbsp;It changed its decision after the intervention of the state government.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the legal permission, several rooftop restaurants will be ready to&nbsp;open in shopping malls and hotels.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The hotels in Mumbai welcomed the&nbsp;decision by calling it a &quot;new experience for the Mumbaikars&quot;. They&nbsp;also claimed that this will&nbsp;reduce the problem of severe space shortage in Mumbai and will also increase tourism in the state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They further added&nbsp;that it will&nbsp;increase the earnings of BMC and the state government.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With the permission of BMC, the city will be able to experiment with the concept of sky bar and sky cafe.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the BMC has put many conditions before permitting rooftop restaurants.</p>

<p>The municipal corporation has said restaurants will have to build about 1.5 metres boundary around the rooftop restaurant.</p>

<p>The &quot;sky top&quot;&nbsp;should not have any residential building within ten metres. It has&nbsp;permitted only microwave and electric cooking.</p>

<p>Also, the hotels and restaurants need to adhere to the rules and regulations of the BMC fire department.</p>

<p>Before starting a business in Mumbai, people need to take permission from the&nbsp;BMC.</p>

<p>However, the BMC has decided to remove&nbsp;such restrictions after being prodded by the BJP-led state government. This has been done to improve the industrial sector in Mumbai and to improve its rankings.</p>


The BMC had previously banned such rooftop hotels calling them illegal

Mumbai will soon see rooftop restaurants in hotels and shopping malls. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has given permission to open rooftop restaurants in India's financial capital. The hotels and restaurants from now onwards will be able to utilise the rooftop space. The BMC had previously banned such rooftop hotels calling them "illegal". It changed its decision after the intervention of the state government. After the legal permission, several rooftop restaurants will be ready to open in shopping malls and hotels. The hotels in Mumbai welcomed the decision by calling it a "new experience for the Mumbaikars". They also claimed that this will reduce the problem of severe space shortage in Mumbai and will also increase tourism in the state. They further added that it will increase the earnings of BMC and the state government. With the permission of BMC, the city will be able to experiment with the concept of sky bar and sky cafe. However, the BMC has put many conditions before permitting rooftop restaurants. The municipal corporation has said restaurants will have to build about 1.5 metres boundary around the rooftop restaurant. The "sky top" should not have any residential building within ten metres. It has permitted only microwave and electric cooking. Also, the hotels and restaurants need to adhere to the rules and regulations of the BMC fire department. Before starting a business in Mumbai, people need to take permission from the BMC. However, the BMC has decided to remove such restrictions after being prodded by the BJP-led state government. This has been done to improve the industrial sector in Mumbai and to improve its rankings.

BMC permits 'rooftop restaurants' in Mumbai

<p>The metropolis of Mumbai is not only the financial capital of India it is also a reflection of India&rsquo;s progress in the last 70 years of Independence. With a population of 18.41 million, the megalopolis ranks among the top 20 cities on the basis of GDP; annual gross domestic product of Mumbai exceeds $400 billion.</p>

<p>However, the flip side of the shimmering success is creaking infrastructure, overpopulation, unplanned growth, spreading urban sprawl and a general decay of quality of life.</p>

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<h5>Mumbai is a prime example of a very 21st-century dilemma &ndash; how to keep the engine of development chugging along without hurting the environment in which it is functioning.</h5>
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<p>This weakness is aggravated during the monsoons, especially on days when there is an unusually heavy downpour. We all remember the floods of 2005 that took its toll on the people as well as the economy. Estimates suggest approximately 1000 people died and the city lost $100 million in business in just two days.</p>

<p>Since then Mumbai residents have witnessed flooding, waterlogging and building collapsing during the monsoons. The severity is nowhere near 2005 levels, still, it&rsquo;s bad.</p>

<p>Mumbai is a prime example of a very 21st-century dilemma &ndash; how to keep the engine of development chugging along without hurting the environment in which it is functioning.</p>

<p>Surprisingly, the city&rsquo;s geographical location and its eco-system provide a unique opportunity to create a model sustainable city that can act as a template for other large port cities to follow.</p>

<p>The narrow strip on which the megalopolis rests has 149 km of coastline and seven interconnected islands. It also boasts of 16 kilometers of beaches and four rivers Oshiwara, Mithi, Dahisar and Poisar which together have a length of more than 41 kilometres.</p>

<p>Incidentally, Mumbai is one of the few fortunate cities globally that has over 70 sq. km of creeks and mangroves. However, this rich ecosystem is besieged by unplanned development, very high rates of migration in the last 3 decades, rampant dumping of waste in the rivers and encroachment of beeches and coastline by real estate developers.</p>

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<h5>State of infrastructure will make Mumbai increasingly vulnerable to disasters induced by extreme weather conditions that will increase in ferocity and regularity due to intensifying climate change.</h5>
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<p>This has led to choking of rivers, their tributaries and other water channels. The building of residential and commercial properties in the catchment areas of the river and wetlands has further eroded the natural capacity of the terrain to deal with large flows of water.</p>

<p>During monsoons when water flows increases there is no natural or man-made capacity to provide it with an outlet or accommodate it. This results in water logging and flooding.</p>

<p>This state of infrastructure will make Mumbai increasingly vulnerable to disasters induced by extreme weather conditions that will increase in ferocity and regularity due to intensifying climate change.</p>

<p>The vulnerability will be more acute&nbsp;as the city has persisted with ineffective land use planning and insufficient investment in infrastructure. The spread of informal settlements with poor quality housing and lack of disaster preparedness has gone on for long.</p>

<p>The good news is that there is enough resilience left in Mumbai&rsquo;s geography, ecology and people to script a turnaround. This spirit was visible recently in the case of lawyer Afroz Shah who started cleaning the Versova beach and then was joined by various citizen groups.</p>

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<h5>Town planners in the state government and Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) need to look at the sustainable development paradigm as the way forward.&nbsp;</h5>
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<p>He is not alone, residents of Bandra Band Stand forced Maharashtra Maritime Board to complete Bandra Bandstand Promenade repair work.</p>

<p>Yet these encouraging citizen interventions are not enough to turn a city&rsquo;s fortunes. It needs an institutional push from the top which means sustained action by the government. Town planners in the state government and Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) need to look at the sustainable development paradigm as the way forward.</p>

<p>It should be built on the 17 parameters of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as envisaged by the United Nations. Among the goals, number 3 (good health &amp; well being), 10 (reduced inequalities), 12 (responsible consumption &amp; production), 14 (protecting life below water) and 15 (protecting life on land) can act as the basis for immediate action.</p>

<p>October 31st is designated as World Cities Day by the United Nations. In the 21st century, the importance of this day can&rsquo;t be overemphasised. The opinion builders, policymakers and the city administrators can together take a pledge today to stop the city from expanding towards the sea through encroachment on its coasts and beeches.</p>

<p>It should also save its mangrove forests and revive them where they have been degraded. It should also start working to decongest the sever lines and internal drainage channels, especially the four rivers, to save itself from drowning during rains.</p>

<p>Rehabilitation and reconstruction of informal settlements need to be pursued on a mission mode for the long-term health and resilience of the city. Honest and sustained initiatives in these core areas would be the best way to commemorate the World Cities Day.</p>

<p>It is a long and difficult road but worth taking as the cost of not acting now will be far greater than the benefits of tough decisions taken today.</p>


On World Cities Day, opinion builders, policymakers and the city administrators need to focus on rehabilitation and reconstruction of informal settlements.

The metropolis of Mumbai is not only the financial capital of India it is also a reflection of India’s progress in the last 70 years of Independence. With a population of 18.41 million, the megalopolis ranks among the top 20 cities on the basis of GDP; annual gross domestic product of Mumbai exceeds $400 billion. However, the flip side of the shimmering success is creaking infrastructure, overpopulation, unplanned growth, spreading urban sprawl and a general decay of quality of life. Mumbai is a prime example of a very 21st-century dilemma – how to keep the engine of development chugging along without hurting the environment in which it is functioning. × This weakness is aggravated during the monsoons, especially on days when there is an unusually heavy downpour. We all remember the floods of 2005 that took its toll on the people as well as the economy. Estimates suggest approximately 1000 people died and the city lost $100 million in business in just two days. Since then Mumbai residents have witnessed flooding, waterlogging and building collapsing during the monsoons. The severity is nowhere near 2005 levels, still, it’s bad. Mumbai is a prime example of a very 21st-century dilemma – how to keep the engine of development chugging along without hurting the environment in which it is functioning. Surprisingly, the city’s geographical location and its eco-system provide a unique opportunity to create a model sustainable city that can act as a template for other large port cities to follow. The narrow strip on which the megalopolis rests has 149 km of coastline and seven interconnected islands. It also boasts of 16 kilometers of beaches and four rivers Oshiwara, Mithi, Dahisar and Poisar which together have a length of more than 41 kilometres. Incidentally, Mumbai is one of the few fortunate cities globally that has over 70 sq. km of creeks and mangroves. However, this rich ecosystem is besieged by unplanned development, very high rates of migration in the last 3 decades, rampant dumping of waste in the rivers and encroachment of beeches and coastline by real estate developers. State of infrastructure will make Mumbai increasingly vulnerable to disasters induced by extreme weather conditions that will increase in ferocity and regularity due to intensifying climate change. × This has led to choking of rivers, their tributaries and other water channels. The building of residential and commercial properties in the catchment areas of the river and wetlands has further eroded the natural capacity of the terrain to deal with large flows of water. During monsoons when water flows increases there is no natural or man-made capacity to provide it with an outlet or accommodate it. This results in water logging and flooding. This state of infrastructure will make Mumbai increasingly vulnerable to disasters induced by extreme weather conditions that will increase in ferocity and regularity due to intensifying climate change. The vulnerability will be more acute as the city has persisted with ineffective land use planning and insufficient investment in infrastructure. The spread of informal settlements with poor quality housing and lack of disaster preparedness has gone on for long. The good news is that there is enough resilience left in Mumbai’s geography, ecology and people to script a turnaround. This spirit was visible recently in the case of lawyer Afroz Shah who started cleaning the Versova beach and then was joined by various citizen groups. Town planners in the state government and Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) need to look at the sustainable development paradigm as the way forward. × He is not alone, residents of Bandra Band Stand forced Maharashtra Maritime Board to complete Bandra Bandstand Promenade repair work. Yet these encouraging citizen interventions are not enough to turn a city’s fortunes. It needs an institutional push from the top which means sustained action by the government. Town planners in the state government and Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) need to look at the sustainable development paradigm as the way forward. It should be built on the 17 parameters of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as envisaged by the United Nations. Among the goals, number 3 (good health & well being), 10 (reduced inequalities), 12 (responsible consumption & production), 14 (protecting life below water) and 15 (protecting life on land) can act as the basis for immediate action. October 31st is designated as World Cities Day by the United Nations. In the 21st century, the importance of this day can’t be overemphasised. The opinion builders, policymakers and the city administrators can together take a pledge today to stop the city from expanding towards the sea through encroachment on its coasts and beeches. It should also save its mangrove forests and revive them where they have been degraded. It should also start working to decongest the sever lines and internal drainage channels, especially the four rivers, to save itself from drowning during rains. Rehabilitation and reconstruction of informal settlements need to be pursued on a mission mode for the long-term health and resilience of the city. Honest and sustained initiatives in these core areas would be the best way to commemorate the World Cities Day. It is a long and difficult road but worth taking as the cost of not acting now will be far greater than the benefits of tough decisions taken today.

Mumbai needs to stop growing towards the sea

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