Mumbai: Parked SUV sinks into well as slab caves in at Ghatkopar society, no injuries

MUMBAI: In a bizarre incident on Sunday morning a parked SUV sank after a portion of the parking space of Ramnivas Society in Ghatkopar caved in.
The car was parked on a well that was covered with a cement slab according to the police. The video of the car sinking went viral on social media on Sunday. No injuries were reported as there was no one inside the car.
The traffic police were the first to reach the location."We believed that the incident had occurred on a street and would cause traffic congestion. On reaching there, we figured it was private property," said an official.
Traffic police said that the society, located on Cama Lane, was constructed several years ago. "A portion of a well had been covered using reinforced concrete and was being used as a parking space by the society members. Due to excessive rainfall over the past few days and probably the weight of the vehicle, the concrete portion caved in around 9 am. Fortunately, there was nobody in the car," said a traffic official. The vehicle belonged to a resident, Kiran Doshi. Police said the society would have to arrange for a crane to pull the vehicle out. Doshi could not be contacted for comment.

A video of the car sinking into a large crater and disappearing within seconds quickly went viral on social media on Sunday. The BMC soon released a statement saying they had nothing to do with the incident.
“The incident took place in a private society compound. There was a well inside the society and it was covered by a cement slab. The slab caved in and the car sank into the well that was full of water. There was no one inside the car and so no one was hurt. The BMC is helping in the work to pump out the water from the well. The society has been asked to ensure that the car is removed and the portion over the well is cordoned off,” the BMC said in a statement.
BMC officials said that several housing societies have wells inside their compound. “Many societies have such wells. The BMC’s Insecticide Department gives permissions and these wells have to be covered to prevent mosquito breeding,” said an official.
An insurance expert said that based on the policy taken, the owner can claim insurance. “Based on the policy taken, the owner can claim insurance once the car is removed and cost of repairs are calculated. It all depends on whether the car can be salvaged and the type of insurance,” an insurance expert said.