Fadnavis orders evacuation of unsafe buildings after Bhiwandi tragedy

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered forced evacuations from C1-category dangerous buildings across the state after a building collapse in Bhiwandi claimed nearly 10 lives.

The collapse took place around 11:30 pm on Thursday, July 31, 2026, at the Kohinoor Apartment in Gangaramwadi, Balaji Nagar, Bhiwandi, a four-storey structure previously declared dilapidated and rated C1, the highest danger category.

Reports indicate that 25 to 30 families had already been moved out of the building before it fell, though some residents were still in the basement at the time of the collapse.

Fadnavis instructed officials to evacuate all C1-rated buildings and permitted the use of force where required, while noting the limits courts have placed on such measures.

Thane Municipal Corporation Commissioner Saurabh Rao issued a parallel directive for immediate re-inspection of deteriorated structures across Thane, ordering formal notices under Section 264 of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act and the start of vacancy and demolition procedures for the most dangerous buildings.

Officials have also been authorised to cut electricity and water connections for residents refusing to leave marked buildings, and to provide temporary municipal shelter for those without alternative housing.

The Thane commissioner’s directive also called for verifying carpet area ownership before enforcing evacuations, and for providing temporary municipal shelter to displaced residents who have no alternative housing.

For residents who resist evacuation from marked C1 buildings, officials have been authorised to disconnect electricity and water supplies as part of the enforcement measures.

Maharashtra’s building classification system rates structures from C1, the most dangerous category requiring immediate evacuation, down to C3, which typically requires only repairs rather than vacating the premises.

Rescue teams, including local fire brigade and disaster response personnel, worked through the night after the collapse to pull survivors and victims from the rubble of the Kohinoor Apartment.

Photo by Rangakuvara, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0