Despite orders from MHADA to demolish the Bhendi Bazaar building, SBUT continued to let out its premises and receive rents from them
A playschool on the first floor, and Tawakkal sweets' godown on the ground floor of the Hussaini building at Bhendi Bazaar, which collapsed on August 31 killing 33 persons, were sublet by the original landlords of the flats and the sweets shop.
However, the subletting was not discontinued by the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT) even after it took over over the building for redevelopment, and SBUT itself was receiving rent from a trust who ran a playschool.
According to DP Vataniya trust who manages the playschool, the school has been operational for the last 6-7 years. At least 60 students, who attend the playschool every day, escaped the mishap by a whisker as the building collapsed an hour before the school opened for the day. "We rented this place to run the playschool. Initially, we paid rent to the actual owner of the flat, but later we started paying rent to SBUT. We do not know anything more than this," Kasim Shaida, one of the trustee of DP Vataniya told DNA.
In another case of subletting, Tawakkal's shop was shifted to the ground floor of the building in January 2017. Around 15-20 workers of Tawakkal were present at the shop when the building came crashing down. Many of them sustained injuries in the collapse. However, the SBUT spokesperson claimed, "We have no idea who all have sublet their houses and shops," said SBUT spokesperson.
"All our documents including passports, property documents and valuables are under the debris. There is no police protection, instead the SBUT guards are on duty at the dumping site even though they are not authorised to do so. What if we lose our important property documents?" said Anwar Hussain, brother of Syed Jaffar, who died along with his family in the crash.
SBUT FAILS
- MHADA had served a notice to tenants of Hussaini building in March 2011, and again in May that year, to vacate, repair or demolish the building.
- In August 2011, 256 buildings in the area, including Hussaini came under the Bhendi Bazaar cluster development project undertaken by SBUT.
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