BMC is going to severe lengths to ensure that another fire mishap doesn’t break-out. For this, they have announced that from Christmas to the New Year Eve, they would be performing fire-checks on restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, etc. Besides, they are wrecking the road-side encroachments and forcing vendors to flee. Now the question arises that what made them to grow ‘illegally’ in the first place?

5 major incidents of fire in the financial capital of India reveals a very murky picture of BMC. Though accidents are unpredictable but still, the proper management can prevent it. The shops and restaurants use their money to pass their fire-security standards. BMC is more than willing to do the wrong thing in return for some monetary benefits. So, when a fire breaks out due to short-circuit or any other reason, the accident becomes the disaster.

The BMC is largely responsible for the mushroom-like spreading of vendors and road-side illegal encroachments. In return of living and carrying out their business, BMC asks for money or hafta. When they are unable to pay them, they become berserk and come breaking their encroachments. These activities used to happen in the past too but at a very minor scale. It has increased. The corruption in BMC is skyrocketing. And the worse thing – everyone knows but no one is doing anything!

BMC is going to severe lengths to ensure that another fire mishap doesn’t break-out. For this, they have announced that from Christmas to the New Year Eve, they would be performing fire-checks on restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, etc. Besides, they are wrecking the road-side encroachments and forcing vendors to flee. Now the question arises that what made them to grow ‘illegally’ in the first place?

5 major incidents of fire in the financial capital of India reveals a very murky picture of BMC. Though accidents are unpredictable but still, the proper management can prevent it. The shops and restaurants use their money to pass their fire-security standards. BMC is more than willing to do the wrong thing in return for some monetary benefits. So, when a fire breaks out due to short-circuit or any other reason, the accident becomes the disaster.

The BMC is largely responsible for the mushroom-like spreading of vendors and road-side illegal encroachments. In return of living and carrying out their business, BMC asks for money or hafta. When they are unable to pay them, they become berserk and come breaking their encroachments. These activities used to happen in the past too but at a very minor scale. It has increased. The corruption in BMC is skyrocketing. And the worse thing – everyone knows but no one is doing anything!

The fire tragedy on December 17 in one of government-owned ESIC (Employee State Insurance Corporation) hospitals located at Andheri East in government-owned again exposed the fact that even at the heart of India’s financial capital, fire safety mechanisms are not free from paralysis.

In the 2006-15, the city has seen more than 600 people lost their lives due to fire alone in Mumbai. Short-Circuit was the reason for 75% of the blazes. In the past 2 years, the situation hasn’t improved. It went down miserably.

Here is the list of 5 major mishaps in the last 2 years:

1. 12 persons killed in a deadly fire in Mumbai’s Saki Naka locality

On the wee hours of December 18, 2017, 12 people – all migrant labourers – were killed in a massive fire that engulfed a snack shop on Khairani Road in the Saki Naka locality of the Mumbai. People who died inside the compound got trapped while working and could get the exit to save their lives.

2. Fire at Maimoon building, Marol:

A fire broke out at Maimoon building in Mumbai’s Marol area on January 4, 2018, in which four people were killed along with injuring five others. The fire broke out at around 1:30 am on the fourth floor of the building at Marol in Andheri East.

3.   Fire at Techniplus one building in Goregaon:

Around five months later on the unfortunate evening of May 27, a major fire erupted at Techniplus one building in Mumbai’s Goregaon at around 5 pm killing four people. The deadly fire also injured a total of nine people which included eight firemen.

4. Fire in Lalmati Slum opposite to Bandra fire station:

On October 30, a massive fire blazed a slum colony at Lalmati locality opposite to Bandra Fire Station on Nagardas Road in Mumbai. Though the fire was rated as level-3, fortunately, no casualties were reported. The deadly fire engulfed the whole slum, mainly inhabited by the migrant labourers and their families. This time too the cause of the fire was said to be the explosion of a gas cylinder.

5. Fire in ESIC Hospital: 

The deadly blaze which was ranked as a level-3 fire, killed six people while 176 people got seriously injured including three firemen. On Tuesday two more casualties were reported taking the total death toll to eight.

How accidents become the disasters?

Short circuits and cylinder explosion are unpredictable and inevitable. They could be reduced due to safe practices but cannot be eradicated completely. Though, fatalities could be reduced due to fires.

The ESIC hospital didn’t have the Fire compliance certificate. Though they had applied for it but how is it possible that a hospital that big (and that too Government-run) is not following the standards?

No accident can become a disaster if it is mitigated at the right time. Having no fire compliance, crowded areas having low safety standards doesn’t help any. The government should rather think about ‘completing’ the work than ‘finishing’ it.

Mumbai is the bridge that connect the mountains of wealth to the trenches of poverty. It is 12th richest city globally and also has Dharavi – The biggest slum in Asia.

Rich Mumbai: 12th Richest in the World

Mumbai is 12th wealthiest city in the world. It has an accumulated wealth of $ 950 billions. Mumbai is the financial center of India and the home of Bollywood. Mumbai, also features among the top 10 cities in terms of billionaire population. The city is home to 28 billionaires, individuals with USD 1 billion or more in net assets.

Mumbai is also home to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the 12th largest stock exchange in the world. The most populous city in India is expected to be the fastest growing city (in terms of wealth growth over the next 10 years).

Poor Mumbai: Dharavi-Biggest slum of Asia

Dharavi is considered one of the largest slums in Asia. Dharavi has an area of just over 2.1 square kilometres (0.81 sq mi; 520 acres) and a population of about 700,000. With a population density of over 277,136/km2 (717,780/sq mi), it is one of the densest areas in the world. 

The government knows that this superlative is not what they want Mumbai to be associated with. Due to this, they are inviting tenders for transforming the slums. 

The minimum stipulated bid amount for the redevelopment of the slum has been set at Rs 3,150 crore. The whopping sum of money is justified as the slum is spread over 593 acres in the heart of India’s commercial capital

The selected lead partner shall form a special purpose vehicle (SPV) with its own contribution of 80% equity worth Rs 400 crore, while the government of Maharashtra will infuse Rs 100 crore to hold 20% equity in this entity. 

The tenders will be available between November 28 and December 28, which is also the last date for submission of the bids.

The idea of redevelopment of Dharavi comes with a lot of benefits. This would not only transform the image of Mumbai, but also generate revenues through integrated planned townships. For this, it has notified entire Dharavi as a notified area and appointed Slum Rehabilitation Authority as a special planning body.

The state government has been looking to redevelop this slum for long as this would be a major game change the political landscape for years to come. Finally, after one and a half decades of deliberations, and three failed attempts to develop Dharavi, now they are on the right track.   

Mumbai Police Constable Dnyaneshwar Ahirrao did not receive salary for the past two months. He wrote letters to his superiors – Mumbai Police Commissioner Datta Padsalgikar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. These letters sought permission to “beg in uniform” as he cannot manage his household needs.

In the letter, Mr Ahirrao, attached to the Local Arms unit, said he had taken leave from March 20 to March 22. However, he could not report to duty after his leave ended since his wife suffered a fracture in her leg, he said.

Mr Ahirrao, posted with the security team at ‘Matoshree’, the home of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, claimed that he had informed, over the phone, his unit in-charge about the emergency leave he was availing of for five days. Following his wife’s treatment, he resumed duty on March 28, he said.

But he stopped getting the salary, his letter said, without revealing more information.

“I have to take care of my sick wife, old parents and a daughter. Besides, I have to pay monthly instalment of the loan I have taken. But since my salary has been stopped, I am unable to meet these expenses. So I want permission from you to beg in uniform,” the letter said.

Our take

The condition of police is pathetic. Their long working shifts, bad quality gears, obsolete equipment and degrading workstation. Salary issue is a newly added misery in their lives. Let’s see when this issue get res