Photo by Rangakuvara, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Maharashtra CM orders C1 building evacuation after Bhiwandi collapse
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has ordered evacuation of C1-category dangerous buildings after the Bhiwandi Kohinoor Apartment collapse killed nearly 10 people.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered the forced evacuation of C1-category dangerous buildings across the state after a Bhiwandi building collapse killed nearly 10 people.
The collapse happened around 11:30 pm on Thursday, July 31, 2026, at the Kohinoor Apartment in Gangaramwadi, Balaji Nagar, Bhiwandi, a four-storey structure that had already been declared dilapidated and rated C1, the most dangerous category.
About 25 to 30 families had reportedly been evacuated from the building before it collapsed, though some residents remained in the basement when it gave way.
Fadnavis directed officials to clear all C1-rated buildings and allowed the use of force where necessary, while flagging existing court restrictions on such action.
Thane Municipal Corporation Commissioner Saurabh Rao separately directed immediate re-inspection of deteriorated structures across Thane, calling for formal notices under Section 264 of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act and vacancy and demolition procedures for the most hazardous buildings.
Authorities have also been empowered to disconnect electricity and water supplies for residents who refuse to leave marked buildings, and to offer temporary municipal shelter to those without other housing options.
Bhiwandi, an industrial town on the outskirts of Mumbai known for its powerloom textile industry, has seen several old and structurally weak buildings flagged as unsafe by municipal authorities in recent years.
The state government’s push follows a pattern seen in other Indian cities, where monsoon-season structural failures of ageing buildings have periodically prompted short-lived enforcement drives that often lapse once the rains end.
Under Section 264 of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act, civic bodies can issue formal notices to residents of dangerous structures, informing them of safety risks and initiating vacancy and demolition procedures.
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.
Photo by Rangakuvara, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0