"Corruption" in BMC has made Mumbai a city of mishaps: Cong

Opposition Congress hit out at the local civic body over Monday's fire at MTNL building and last week's building collapse in Dongri, alleging corruption in the functioning of the Shiv Sena-ruled corporation.

Congress leader Ashok Chavan alleged "large-scale corruption" in fire and structural audits of buildings in the metropolis and asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to own up its "mismanagement".

State Congress president Balasaheb Thoratsaid the "corrupt" civic administration has made Mumbai a city of accidents where innocent people have lost their lives.

A massive fire broke in MTNL building in suburban Bandra this afternoon, leaving 84 people stranded on the terrace of the structure all of whom were rescue by late evening, officials said.

Reacting to the blaze in MTNL building, Chavan said according to reports, the fire audit of the nine-storey structure was done just last year.

"If this is true, people need to know why the fire brigade had difficulty in rescuing those trapped. Fire brigade faced difficulties due to the small windows and closed structure of the building. This is a serious issue and its cognisance should be taken," the former chief minister said.

"Whether its fire audit or structural audit of buildings, recent incidents of fire and building collapse in the city have proved that there is a large-scale corruption. The civic body should own up responsibility of this failure," Chavan said.

Thorat also hit out at the BJP-led government in the state.

"There are fire incidents, building collapses and innocent people are getting killed. The state government had neglected corruption in the civic body and brought the people at the doorsof death," he said.

After every accident, the government talks of fire audit but nothing happens, the state Congress chief said.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Ashish Shelar, the BJP MLA in whose constituency Bandra is located, demanded an inquiry into the MTNL building fire.

Last week, 13 people were killed when a multi-storey residential building collapsed in Dongri, South Mumbai.