1. Day After Bldg Crash, Many Families Leave Bhendi Bazaar
Bhendi Bazaar, the SoBo locality that is finding it hard to come to terms with the collapse of a 117-year-old building in which 33 people were killed and 13 injured, saw a steady stream of residents of nearby structures moving out on Friday. Many of these structures in which they live are old but not dilapidated.
Shock and fear have gripped the entire neighbourhood, mainly dominated by Muslims, with many residents preferring to move out to safer places to avoid meeting the same fate as those of the occupants of Husaini Manzil building that came crashing down at 8.20 am on Thursday. MHADA has also asked the residents of some buildings, which come under a cluster redevelopment plan being undertaken by the Saiffee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT), to vacate the premises as they are too dangerous for living.
The 16.5-acre neighbourhood being developed by SBUT houses 250 buildings, most of which are cessed. Out of the 250 buildings, 73 have been declared as “extremely” dilapidated by the MHADA. Husaini Manzil was one of them.
(Source: Mumbai Mirror)
2. Residents Move Out As Mumbra Building Tilts
A day after a 117-year-old building collapsed in south Mumbai’s Bhendi Bazaar, panicky residents vacated a 33-year-old structure in Mumbra after it tilted with a portion of it leaning against an adjoining building.
According to local people, the four-storey Noorani Manzil, which was built in 1984 and declared dangerous by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) a while ago, first swerved slightly to its side a few months ago. But the residents didn’t move out immediately as they thought that there was no imminent danger.
On Friday afternoon, the structure tilted considerably with its top portion resting against the next building. Frightened that the building would crash, the residents informed the fire brigade.
The fire fighters, along with TMC officials, swung into action and emptied Noorani Manzil. The top two floors of the adjoining Paritosh building have been vacated as well. The residents have been accommodated at a school in Thane, while many of them have shifted to their relatives’ homes.
(Source: Mumbai Mirror)
3. Lone Survivor Battles For Life In Saifee Hospital
It was indeed a miraculous escape for 60-year-old Qureshi Saifuddin Lightwala, who lost eight of his near and dear ones in the Husaini Building collapse.
Lightwala, who suffered multiple injuries, is being treated at the Saifee Hospital. After the tragedy on Thursday, he was admitted to the JJ Hospital but late in the night, his relatives decided to take him to Saifee Hospital.
Devastated by the tragedy, the concerned elders of the community also decided to move two other Bohra patients injured in the mishap to Saifee Hospital. The two patients are Tasneem Chashmawala, 63, and Fatima Umedawala, 46.
Chashmawala lost her four family members in the tragedy. All three patients are being treated under the supervision of orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Shakir S. Kapadia.
(Source: Mumbai Mirror)
4. Woman Seeking Refuge In Society Amid Deluge Has A Harrowing Time
As torrential rain battered Mumbai on Tuesday, noted sculptor Arzan Khambatta’s wife, Khushnuma, who was driving back to her Parel home, decided to seek shelter in a Sion society. But instead of getting some respite, she had a horrid time after a resident objected to her parking the car inside Gope Nivas Society and ordered a watchman to deflate a rear tyre.
Khushnuma, 49, tried to explain the resident, Pravin Dedhia, that she was not abandoning her car on the compound. She was simply taking refuge. But Dedhia, who is a member of the society’s managing committee, allegedly did not soften his stance and accused her of breaking the colony’s rules and trespassing.
His behaviour, at a time when hundreds of Mumbaikars were trying to help each other to stay safe, shook Khushnuma so badly that she broke down. Another resident, Palak Vijan, intervened and took Khushnuma to her apartment on the society’s second floor, providing her refreshments and food.
(Source: Mumbai Mirror)
5. Loco Pilot of Derailed Duronto Express Turns Hero For Indian Railways
On Tuesday, senior railway officers heaved a sigh of relief as there was no casualty or serious injury to any passenger after nine coaches and engine of Duronto Express en-route to Mumbai derailed near Asangaon. However, this was possible because of immediate action by the train’s loco pilot (engine driver) Virender Singh and senior assistant local pilot Abhay Kumar. Had the pilots not acted immediately, the derailment could have led to casualties.
The newly-appointed Chairman Railway Board (CRB), Ashwini Lohani, has decided to personally felicitate both the loco pilot and assistant loco pilot. “After taking charge as the CRB, Lohani stated that staff is the biggest strength of the Indian Railways. He appears to be very happy with the pilot for acting quick and managing the situation to prevent a disaster,”said a source.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
6. Ahead Of Reshuffle, Shiv Sena Keen on Another Central Berth For Party
Ahead of the Union cabinet reshuffle, the Shiv Sena is eyeing another berth at the Centre. A source in the party said, “The Sena brass has conveyed to the central leadership its willingness to accept one more ministerial post at the Centre. However, the party believes it should get a cabinet rank berth or at least an independent charge.” The party will not put any condition on the portfolio it gets, sources said.
A senior Sena functionary said, “The Sena has always had an open offer from the BJP for a junior-rank ministerial berth at the Centre. However, the party is keen on a cabinet position. If the BJP leadership honourably offers us a cabinet rank, Thackeray will accept it unconditionally.”
(Source: Indian Express)
7. Domestic Violence Case Filed Against TV Actor Sanjeeda Shaikh
Love Ka Hai Intezaar actor Sanjeeda Shaikh has run into a spot of legal trouble. Her sister-in-law Zakerabanu Zakir Hussain Bagban has reportedly filed a case against Sanjeeda and her family on grounds of domestic violence.
According to Indian Express, Zakerabanu filed a FIR against Sanjeeda, her brother Anas Abdul Rahim Sheikh, and their mother, Anisha Sheikh, alleging that they tortured her.
Sunny Punamiya, Sanjeeda’s lawyer, however said: “On August 30, the Honourable Court has passed an order in favour of my client and asked the investigating agency to not take any coercive steps against her.”
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