Mumbai: The HC orders the BMC to create regulations for the use of cranes when building highrises.

MUMBAI: We expect that none of the highrise developments in the city should render people susceptible and prone to such mishaps, in which innocent people might get maimed or lose their life, stated HC in directing BMC to develop standards for the use of cranes in highrise structures.

In a plea, Lokhandwala Residency Tower Cooperative Housing Society of Worli “brings to the fore fundamental issues in regard to safety precautions to be implemented in the construction of super highrise buildings,” according to the High Court.

According to the petition’s senior attorney Prateek Seksaria, the deaths of two people as a result of the building being done on the next property for “Four Seasons Private Residences Phase | and II” by a developer, served as the catalyst for the petition. The public was concerned that crane construction could harm other lives.

The HC noted that the incident on February 14, 2023, was “to put it mildly, too tragic.” “We fully feel that the freedom of a person to roam about in locations that are not actually building sites, if threatened by a fear of being killed or injured, would undoubtedly amount to a breach of one’s fundamental right to life,” the bench declared in ruling on the petition.

Sakseria claimed that the petitioner’s goal is to maintain safety while preventing obstruction of current development. Zal Andhyarijuna, the developer’s senior attorney, claimed it was an accident and that his client was deeply saddened by it.

He claimed that in order to accomplish the balance job, the developer tried to apply tight safety standards. For such crane operations, the civic body requires and is willing to prescribe safety measures, according to senior lawyer N V Walawalkar representing the BMC.

Highrises that are still under construction frequently have suspended cranes, according to HC, who also expressed confidence that the municipal commissioner will look into these matters and implement the necessary rules.