As Dongri toll mounts, CM assures new law

A day after an illegal portion of the century-old Kesarbai Mansion in Dongri area of Mumbai caved in, the death toll mounted to 14.

Nine others injured in the crash of the four-storeyed building are currently undergoing treatment at the Sir JJ Hospital at Byculla. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the issue and decided to come out with a law to ensure redevelopment of dilapidated and dangerous buildings.

"A new Act will be enacted for the redevelopment of C1 buildings to remove all the hurdles/complications," Fadnavis tweeted.

He said that two-year rent will be given if residents have not been provided with transit location facilities and compulsory cluster development will be done with MHADA as the developer.

In the review, housing minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, medical education minister Girish Mahajan, industries minister Subhash Desai and top officials were present.

Post-noon, the nearly 30-hour search operation was called off. "Operations were called off after removal of debris and search of the entire collapsed area," the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation said.

The 14 deceased include seven males, four females and three male children.

Those undergoing treatment include two males, five females and one male and female child each. The search and rescue operations were carried through the night by BMC, Mumbai Fire Brigade and NDRF. Early in the morning, Alima (28) and her two kids were rescued.