Nagpur, India: Residents of the Ajni Railway Colony in Nagpur, particularly employees in Group C and D quarters, are living in fear after a portion of a ceiling collapsed in one of the colony’s buildings on Sunday morning. The incident, which occurred in Quarter No. 417/C (a Type RB-II quarter), led to minor injuries for a teenager when chunks of plaster fell from the ceiling around 10:30 am. Ajay Kumar Mistri, the Senior Ticket Checker who occupies the quarter, was on duty. Fortunately, the plaster fell just next to the boy, who had been sleeping.

Mistri’s wife was shaken when she rushed into the bedroom. These Type-II quarters, located near the church, appear rundown and neglected. Despite a team from the Engineering Branch, led by Inspector of Works (IoW) Priyanka Mukunde, assigned specifically to Ajni Railway Colony, residents say maintenance remains poor. After the incident, Mukunde arrived to assess the situation, and labourers were dispatched to clear the fallen debris. The administration has offered to relocate the Mistri family to a different quarter, but due to Diwali festivities, they have chosen not to move immediately.

Neighbours expressed relief that the incident occurred in the daytime, as the situation could have been more dangerous at night. The teenager remains traumatized by the near-miss, while his parents and other residents worry about ongoing neglect. They claim that maintenance requests go unanswered due to limited Railway budget allocations. 

The Mistri family’s third-floor quarter has visible signs of water seepage, which residents believe led to the ceiling damage. Many of the colony's Type-II quarters, built nearly 50 years ago, are in similar condition and may pose a risk to residents. While the Railway administration is constructing new multi-storied quarters, the pace has been slow. Until the new accommodations are ready, residents are left hoping for their families' safety in the deteriorating buildings.