October 22, 2025: The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has informed the Bombay High Court that it will engage the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) to conduct a comprehensive structural audit of all rehabilitation buildings under the Patra Chawl redevelopment project.
The decision came during a hearing before a division bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Aarti Sathe, which was considering a petition filed by the Goregaon Siddharth Nagar Sahakari Griha Nirman Samstha. The housing society had raised concerns about the poor construction quality and recent safety incidents, including lift malfunctions and plaster collapse.
Advocate Samir Vaidya, representing the petitioners, highlighted multiple incidents, including a large chunk of plaster falling from the exterior of the C building in April, another similar episode in the F building on October 13, and a lift malfunction in the L building. He urged for a structural audit across all rehabilitation buildings, citing serious safety implications.
Advocate Mahesh Londhe, appearing for the contractor Relcon Infraprojects Ltd, acknowledged the issues, noting that while such incidents were concerning, “they had not occurred in any of the company’s projects in the past 45 years.” He assured the court that the firm would immediately investigate the causes and ensure that all rehab buildings were inspected and certified safe for habitation.
In its submission, MHADA termed the plaster collapse “a matter of grave concern as it raises serious questions
Source: Hindustan Times
