Will frame scheme to deal with collapse of unauthorised structures: State to Bombay HC

The government also told the court that it was in the process of identifying and highlighting such issues, so that steps could be taken to obviate dangerous situations similar to the one in Bhiwandi last month, which resulted in the loss of 41 lives.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish S Kulkarni had on September 24 taken suo motu cognisance of the building collapse in Bhiwandi. The court had asked all civic bodies in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, including BMC, along with the state government to respond to concerns pertaining to collapse of buildings.

On Thursday, Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni submitted the affidavit by the urban development department, which stated that all urban local bodies were sufficiently empowered under the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning (MRTP) Act and Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act to deal with issue of dilapidated structures.

The court then asked the amicus curiae, Sharan Jagtiani, to file a report on submissions made by the respondents by October 28 and posted further hearing to October 29.