The Husainibai Building in Bhendi Bazaar partially collapsed in the early hours of Friday, serving as a stark reminder of Mumbai’s deteriorating infrastructure and causing grave concerns about the city’s ongoing infrastructural issues. The ground-plus-four-story building collapsed in a matter of minutes, mimicking the collapse of a “pack of cards,” at approximately 12:06 am. Authorities verified the extent of the damage and because the building had already been evacuated, no casualties were reported despite the incident’s worrisome nature.
This fall highlights how vulnerable Mumbai’s older, frequently abandoned buildings are, especially in crowded neighbourhoods like Bhendi Bazaar. The incident has brought attention to the systemic failure to guarantee the safety and integrity of aged infrastructure, even though the fire department responded quickly with five trucks and carried out a comprehensive search and rescue operation.
Bhendi Bazaar, which is already home to many deteriorating buildings, must now confront the sobering fact that unless immediate action is taken, these kinds of incidents may become commonplace. The timing of this collapse is especially concerning because it occurred only a few weeks after the devastating fire at Ansari Heights in Dongri. The fire started on November 27 and quickly spread to a Level 3 conflagration, underscoring the dangers of overcrowded, poorly maintained structures. The parallels between these two instances highlight how urgently the city needs extensive infrastructure upgrades.
Although fortunately no lives were lost, the fall of the Husainibai Building exposes the systemic problems with Mumbai’s approach to infrastructure upkeep. It is becoming more and more clear that reactionary tactics are insufficient as the city struggles with increased urbanisation. To ensure regular maintenance, prompt inspections, and strict adherence to building rules, authorities must adopt a more proactive approach to building safety. This is essential to prevent further deterioration of Mumbai’s aged infrastructure as well as to save lives.
One thing is certain while the cause of the fall is still being investigated: Mumbai’s old infrastructure desperately needs to be updated. The city’s infrastructure problems are now in danger of getting worse due to a lack of preventive measures and the irregular upkeep of older structures, leaving its citizens at risk of more accidents. To stop more deaths and damage to infrastructure, authorities must take immediate action to solve these systemic problems.
Source: Urban Acres