Six labourers injured in slab collapse in Chinchwad

Six labourers were injured yesterday afternoon after a slab of an under-construction building in Udyog Nagar near Chinchwad railway station collapsed. While locals alleged that NCP MLA Anna Bansode had stakes in the luxurious residential building, Bansode clarified that he was not at all related to the construction in any way and had rushed to the accident spot as it was a part his constituency.

"I am not involved in this construction activity, I rushed to the spot as a local MLA," Bansode said. Police officials said a case would be registered only after checking land records that are in civic body's possession.

The site in Udyog Nagar where the accident occurred. Pics/Niranjan Medhekar

The collapse
The incident occurred after a slab on the rear side of the two-storeyed structure caved in while the slab-laying work was in progress. Of the six labourers who were trapped underneath the debris, Arjun Verma sustained serious injuries.

Police officials said while Verma was shifted to the Niramaya hospital and underwent an MRI scan, the remaining injured were shifted to the Lokmanya hospital. They were discharged after initial treatment.

The site in Udyog Nagar where the accident occurred. Pics/Niranjan Medhekar

Fireman Shankar Patil said the PCMC fire control room received a call around 2.45 pm, informing it about the incident, and within seven minutes a team of 33 firemen reached the spot. Patil said before the firemen reached the spot, locals had rescued five of the six labourers and they rescued the sixth one.

"Verma sustained grievous injuries to his hand," Patil said.
Vikas Deshmukh, a local and an eyewitness, said he rushed to the spot soon after he heard a loud thud. "Concrete mixing work was in progress since morning when the slab collapsed. It collapsed after one of the columns gave way. Soon, others met with the same fate," he said.

Deshmukh and other locals suspected the disaster to be an outcome of the weak columns. Soon after the incident, officials of the Chinchwad police station summoned contractor Namdeo Dighe and landowner Subhash Borkar to the police station for questioning.

Officials said Borkar gave in writing that the land belonged to him and he had given it to Dighe for development.

Senior Police Inspector
P B Lokhande said Borkar's statement was not enough to prove the ownership of the land and case would be registered only after they scrutinise land records. Once again the locals alleged that Borkar was a close aide of Bansode.u00a0