MAPUSA
A shopkeeper escaped with minor injuries while two cars and two two-wheelers were damaged when an overhanging eave (chhajja) at a building in Mapusa collapsed on Friday morning.
The incident took place at the 40-year-old Koskar & Kesarkar building near the Burye petrol pump sometime around 11.30 am, when the chhajja suddenly came crashing down on the four vehicles.
At the time of the incident, Raoji Dhargalkar was at his shop in his building. He heard the noise of the chhajja crashing down and sustained minor injuries as pieces of the chhajja struck his hands.
It was also a lucky escape for two homeless people, who had been asleep on the sidewalk of this building, as they left the site moments before the accident.
On receiving news of the incident, a Mapusa fire brigade headed by station officer Ashok Parab cleared the debris and cut the exposed portions of the chhajja.
Mapusa Police Inspector Nikhil Palekar and a police team later conducted a panchnama of the incident.
INSPECTION IGNORED? According to sources, Purushottam Koskar, owner of the Koskar & Kesarkar building, had sent a letter to the MMC in January 2018, stating that the building is dilapidated and in a dangerous condition. He had also requested the MMC to inspect the condition of the building.
However, the MMC is yet to take note of his letter and inspect the building over the past six years.
