Navi Mumbai: A couple and their one-year-old son escaped unhurt after the false ceiling plaster of one bedroom of their ground-floor 3BHK apartment in the three-storeyed Gangasagar society in sector-1, Koparkhairane, collapsed on Sunday around 12.15 pm.Bharat Dhande, NMMC ward officer of Koparkhairane, said, “The incident occurred at the apartment owned by Rakesh Gupta (26). As the false ceiling plaster of one bedroom had collapsed when Gupta, his wife Khushbu (25) and infant son Pratik were in the main hall, they did not sustain any injuries and a major tragedy was averted.”Sanjay Pandey, the chairperson of Gangasagar society, said, “The society is 27 years old and has 16 apartments of 3 BHK each with four apartments on each floor. NMMC has neither declared the building as dilapidated nor unsafe for the residents to stay. The Gupta family had last year purchased the ground-floor apartment from Dr Savita Dhale for around ₹1.10 crore. Gupta might have purchased the apartment in the old building as its self-redevelopment was proposed by the society after which each apartment’s market price would have increased to around ₹1.45 crore. After purchasing the apartment, Gupta had carried out painting work, but probably, the false ceiling plaster’s maintenance was not considered and over the years, the plaster might have become weak due to leakage during monsoons, resulting in the collapse. However, the building will not get an additional FSI due to only a 5-metre road width for which a Fire NOC will not be provided. For self-redevelopment of the building, each flat owner will have to pay an applicable amount as per the proposal approved in the society’s general body meeting.
