Bhiwandi (Maharashtra): Following the collapse of a four-storey building in Balaji Nagar area in Bhiwandi that claimed 10 lives, Mayor Narayan Ratan Chaudhary on Saturday directed that water and electricity supply to all structures declared as dangerous be disconnected to ensure they are vacated expeditiously.
Forensic experts collected samples from the tangled heap of concrete and twisted metal at the site as part of the probe amid the deployment of heavy machinery to clear the debris and pull down the remaining part of the structure, which is now unstable.
Police registered an FIR under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the building owner and a contractor who was allegedly executing unauthorized work on the premises, though no arrests have been made so far, officials said.
Chaudhary, Mayor of the Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC), chaired a high-level disaster management review meeting in the aftermath of Friday’s collapse of Kohinoor Building which had been declared dangerous six years ago, officials said.
Deputy Commissioner (Unauthorized Construction) Vikram Darade informed that 238 buildings within municipal limits have been classified under C1 category (extremely dangerous, fit for immediate demolition) and 836 under C2A category (dangerous, requiring major repairs and evacuation).
The Mayor ordered immediate disconnection of water and power supplies to all C1 and C2A category buildings.
"Evacuation notices issued to property owners or occupants must be accompanied by official spot inspection reports. Those who need temporary shelter can be accommodated in buildings owned by the corporation for five to six days," said Chaudhary.
While power distribution company Torrent Power will be responsible for cutting off electricity connections to dangerous structures, ward officers were directed to ensure that official notifications were sent to the company in time.
Ward officers were also ordered to conduct surprise inspections, including night visits, to prevent unauthorized repair work at hazardous buildings.
Notably, the Vehicle Department has been asked to hire large dumpers and JCB machines for each ward as needed, and process proposals for issuing new Bolero jeeps to ward officers.
The Medical Health Department was directed to submit a proposal to purchase new ambulances and immediately rent one dedicated ambulance for the Disaster Management Department.
According to data provided by the Thane district administration, 30 people have lost their lives due to various natural disasters during this monsoon season including Tuesday’s building collapse.
Meanwhile, acting on instructions from the Chief Minister's Office, Thane Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao directed ward committees to issue notices to all C1 category buildings in Thane city.
To safeguard occupants' property rights during evacuations, civic officers have been instructed to issue carpet area measurement certificates to tenants and flat owners. Temporary shelter can be provided at municipal transit camps, Rao said.
Meanwhile, officials admitted glaring administrative oversight with the regards to the ill-fated building.
The building was officially listed under the dangerous 'C2B' category on May 12, 2026, and a formal notice was issued on June 5, they said.
However, despite no corrective measures being taken by the occupants or the owner, civic authorities failed to escalate the building's status to 'C2A' and ultimately 'C1' to enforce immediate eviction and demolition, they added.
The utter failure of the civic administration to act in time has cost the lives of ten hapless residents, they alleged.
This aspect did not come up during the visit to the site by minister Girish Mahajan and senior officials, including the collector, they said.
At the site of the tragedy, heartbroken survivors and grieving relatives stood in quiet despair on Saturday, gazing at the rubble that was once their homes.