In a surprising turn of events, a dilapidated building in Nalasopara East experienced a major slab collapse, leaving a mother and her teenage son stranded on the fourth floor late Tuesday night. The incident unfolded at approximately 10 PM at the Sai Simran Building in the Achole area. The collapse of the hall’s slab in flat number 404 caused debris to crash down onto the third floor, trapping Mansi Dilip Patel (47) and her son Aarush Dilip Patel (14) in the kitchen. Firefighters from the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) swiftly responded to the emergency and successfully rescued both individuals using a ladder.
The Sai Simran Building, a four-storey structure that is around 13 to 14 years old, consists of 22 residential flats and 3 commercial units as per VVCMC officials. Following the collapse, authorities evacuated all 22 flats in the building and made arrangements for temporary accommodation for the displaced families at a nearby Zilla Parishad school. The incident has sparked concerns about the safety of ageing buildings in the city, with residents expressing frustration over the lack of preventive maintenance and timely intervention by civic authorities. They are calling for stricter inspections and urgent repairs in similar high-risk structures to avoid further incidents.
In preparation for the upcoming monsoon season, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has identified 134 buildings in Mumbai as dilapidated this year, marking a decrease compared to previous years. Out of these 134 unsafe structures, 57 have already been vacated, while 77 buildings are still occupied. It is noted that around 56 of these buildings are currently undergoing legal proceedings. The decrease in the number of dilapidated buildings is attributed to more structures being vacated and demolished in recent years.
The BMC’s 2025 survey has identified a total of 134 C1 category buildings across Mumbai that are considered unsafe and unfit for habitation. The highest number of such dilapidated structures, 15 each, have been reported in H/West ward (Bandra, Khar West) and P/South ward (Goregaon). This is followed by 11 buildings each in K/E ward (Andheri East) and N ward (Ghatkopar), 10 in K/West (Andheri West), and 7 buildings each in H/E (Chembur) and P/North (Malad).
Additionally, wards like R/South (Kandivali West) have 8 buildings, while G/N (Dadar-Matunga) and L ward (Kurla) have 6 each. Wards such as A, B, D, F/N, M/W, and S report between 3 to 6 unsafe buildings, whereas C, E, M/E, and T wards have only 1 to 2 such structures. Notably, F/S (F South) and R/C (R Central) wards have no buildings marked under the C1 category this year. The identification of these unsafe structures highlights the urgent need for action to ensure the safety of residents in Mumbai’s buildings.
