Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered the forced evacuation of residents from C1-category dangerous buildings across the state, following a building collapse in Bhiwandi that killed nearly 10 people.
The collapse occurred at around 11:30 pm on Thursday, July 31, 2026, at the Kohinoor Apartment in Gangaramwadi, Balaji Nagar, Bhiwandi, a four-storey structure that had previously been declared dilapidated and categorised as C1, the most dangerous rating.
Around 25 to 30 families had already been evacuated from the building before it collapsed, though some residents remained in the basement when the structure gave way, according to local reports.
Fadnavis directed officials to evacuate all C1-category buildings and authorised the use of force where necessary, while acknowledging court-related limitations on such action.
Thane Municipal Corporation Commissioner Saurabh Rao separately ordered immediate re-inspections of deteriorated structures across Thane, directing officials to issue formal notices under Section 264 of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act and begin vacancy and demolition procedures for the most dangerous buildings.
Officials have also been told to disconnect electricity and water supplies for residents who resist evacuation from marked buildings, and to arrange temporary municipal shelter for those with no alternative housing.
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.
For residents who resist evacuation from marked C1 buildings, officials have been authorised to disconnect electricity and water supplies as part of the enforcement measures.
Maharashtra’s building classification system rates structures from C1, the most dangerous category requiring immediate evacuation, down to C3, which typically requires only repairs rather than vacating the premises.
Photo by Rangakuvara, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
