A four-storey residential building in Nalasopara’s Sankeshwar Nagar collapsed on Friday night, September 11, but no casualties were reported as the structure had already been vacated more than a month earlier.
The building, Roshni Apartment, contained around 40 flats occupied by 36 families. Authorities had declared the property dilapidated and ordered residents to leave on August 6. The precautionary evacuation ensured that no occupants were inside when part of the structure eventually collapsed.
Visuals from the site showed sections of the building coming down and debris scattered around the premises.
Neighbouring Building Also Evacuated
Following the collapse, the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) ordered residents of the neighbouring Pooja Apartment to vacate as a preventive measure.
Around 36 families living in the adjoining building have now been asked to leave, adding to the housing difficulties faced by residents in the area. Families affected by the evacuation have sought assistance from civic authorities for alternative accommodation while safety assessments are carried out.
Former Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation Mayor Rupesh Jadhav visited the location and said a portion of the structure had collapsed. He also pointed out that a similar incident had occurred in the area around 15 days earlier.
Safety Concerns for Ageing Structures
The incident has once again highlighted concerns surrounding the condition of ageing residential buildings in densely populated parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Buildings declared unsafe can pose significant risks if residents continue occupying them, particularly during the monsoon when structural weaknesses may worsen.
In this case, the prior evacuation prevented what could have been a serious accident involving dozens of residents.
The civic administration will now have to assess the condition of nearby structures and determine whether additional buildings require evacuation or urgent repairs.
Delhi Collapse Raises Similar Concerns
The Nalasopara incident occurred days after a deadly building collapse in southwest Delhi, bringing renewed attention to the safety of older and potentially unauthorised residential structures.
On September 6, a five-storey building operating as a boys’ paying guest facility, ‘Hostel Daze’, collapsed in the Satya Niketan area. The incident killed seven people and injured several others.
Delhi Police subsequently arrested the building owner, 81-year-old retired Indian Air Force sergeant Hariram Gupta, along with his wife Urmila Gupta and son Mahesh Gupta, who allegedly managed the construction. Labour contractor Sanoj Kumar was also arrested.
While the circumstances of the two incidents are different, both have highlighted the risks associated with ageing or unsafe structures accommodating large numbers of people.
For Nalasopara residents, the immediate concern now is finding safe and suitable accommodation for families displaced by the latest evacuation orders, while authorities determine the structural safety of buildings in the affected neighbourhood.
Source: The Free Press Journal
