A portion of a four-storey building collapsed in Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi on Thursday night, killing at least three people, while fears remain that several others may still be trapped under the debris. The incident has once again brought attention to the dangers posed by ageing and unsafe structures during the monsoon.
From Bhiwandi to Mumbai, every rainy season raises the same concern: why do families continue living in buildings that have already been declared unsafe?
Read More: 3 Dead In Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi After Building Collapses, Many Remain Trapped In Debris
While civic bodies and government agencies regularly identify vulnerable structures, thousands of residents continue staying in such buildings because leaving is often far more complicated
than it appears.
VIDEO | Bhiwandi, Maharashtra: Operations continue to rescue people feared trapped in debris of the building that collapsed late on Thursday. A portion of the Kohinoor Building in Balaji Nagar area of the powerloom town collapsed around 11.30 pm on Thursday, officials said. At… pic.twitter.com/6jxXzf9Jk9
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 31, 2026
Building safety has repeatedly been discussed in Parliament, with the Centre stating that structural safety, building approvals and enforcement largely fall under the responsibility of state governments and urban local bodies.
Recent incidents, including the 2025 Virar building collapse in Maharashtra that claimed 17 lives, have further highlighted the risks linked to ageing and unsafe structures.
But behind every dangerous building is a human story, families who may understand the risks but often have limited choices when it comes to finding another home, protecting their rights and waiting for redevelopment.
Mumbai’s annual list of dangerous buildings
Ahead of every monsoon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) conducts inspections of old and dilapidated structures across the city. Buildings are classified based on their structural condition, with the most serious category being C-1.
A C-1 building is considered:
- Extremely dangerous
- Unsafe for habitation
- In need of immediate evacuation
- Beyond economical repair in many cases
The BMC publishes a list of such buildings every year as part of its monsoon preparedness exercise.
For the 2026 monsoon, BMC identified 337 buildings across Mumbai under the C-1 category. The list includes details such as ward numbers, building names and addresses, allowing civic authorities to monitor structures considered dangerous.
However, identifying an unsafe building does not always mean that residents immediately leave.
This gap between a building being declared dangerous and residents actually moving out is at the centre of Mumbai’s recurring monsoon crisis.
Why do families continue living in unsafe buildings?
Finding another home is not affordable
For many residents, especially those living in old buildings and rent-controlled properties, shifting to another house is financially difficult. Mumbai’s rental market is among the most expensive in India.
Moving to another locality can mean:
- Higher monthly rent
- Longer travel time
- Additional expenses for children and work
- Losing access to familiar neighbourhood services
For families already struggling financially, staying in a risky building can appear to be the only practical option.
Redevelopment delays leave residents stuck
Many old buildings in Mumbai are expected to be redeveloped.
Residents are often promised:
- A new apartment
- Temporary accommodation during construction
- Rehabilitation benefits
However, redevelopment projects can take years because of:
- Disputes between residents and developers
- Approval delays
- Financial problems
- Legal cases
- Disagreements among society members
For many families, leaving their old home means entering an uncertain waiting period with no clear timeline for returning.
Fear of losing their home
For people who have lived in the same building for decades, a house is not just a structure.
Residents often worry:
- Will they get their promised rehabilitation flat?
- How long will they have to stay on rent?
- What happens if the redevelopment project fails?
- Will their legal rights remain protected?
These concerns influence decisions even after evacuation notices are issued.
Strong neighbourhood connections
Many old buildings are located in established parts of Mumbai where families have built their lives over generations.
Residents may have:
- Nearby workplaces
- Schools
- Hospitals
- Family support networks
- Local businesses
Moving away can affect income, education and daily routines.
Confusion over structural condition
In some cases, residents and authorities have disagreed over whether a building is beyond repair.
While civic authorities may classify a structure as dangerous, residents sometimes rely on independent structural assessments that suggest repairs may still be possible.
These differences can lead to disputes and delays.
What Parliament has said about building collapses and safety
Building safety has been raised in Parliament several times, especially after major incidents across Indian cities.
The Union government has stated that it does not maintain a single nationwide database of all dangerous buildings because urban planning, building permissions and enforcement fall mainly under state governments and municipal authorities.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has highlighted the role of states and urban local bodies in implementing building bye-laws and ensuring structural safety.
Recent government records and official statements have continued to underline the risks from unsafe structures.
In 2025, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took cognisance of the Virar East building collapse in Maharashtra, where 17 people died. The incident renewed concerns about unsafe housing, evacuation notices and enforcement.
The absence of a single national database also means cities rely largely on their own systems to identify dangerous buildings.
For Mumbai, the BMC’s C-1 list remains the primary indicator of structures considered most at risk.
Fatal building collapse incidents across Mumbai and nearby areas
These incidents show that structural failures are not isolated events but part of a recurring urban challenge.
Why evacuation alone may not solve Mumbai’s building crisis
Experts say that issuing notices is only one part of the solution.
A long-term approach requires:
- Faster redevelopment approvals
- Temporary housing support for displaced families
- Transparent rehabilitation policies
- Regular structural audits
- Strict action against illegal alterations
- Better coordination between residents, developers and civic authorities
A family living in a dangerous building is often not choosing safety over risk. They are balancing one risk against another, the danger of staying versus the uncertainty of leaving.
The bigger question
Every monsoon building collapse brings back the same question: Why did residents stay?
But Mumbai’s housing reality suggests a more complex answer.
For many families, leaving an unsafe building is not just about walking out of a door. It involves finding a new home, protecting their rights, waiting for redevelopment and ensuring their future.
Until those challenges are addressed, many residents will continue living in buildings they know are unsafe, not because they do not understand the danger, but because finding a safe alternative remains difficult.
