- Rescue efforts continue after a residential building collapse in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra
- Nine people died and four were injured in the collapse of a C1-classified building
- Residents escaped with their lives but lost all belongings and face food and water shortages
Even as cranes, excavators and NDRF personnel continue to sift through the mangled concrete of a collapsed residential building in Maharashtra's Bhiwandi, dozens of families are spending another day on the roadside, waiting not for rescue, but for food and water.
The collapse of the C1-classified building has claimed nine lives and left four others injured. But beyond the rubble lies another story: that of families living in temporary settlements adjoining the building, who escaped within seconds, abandoning everything they owned.
"We had just finished one roti and were about to take another," recalls Priya Jaiswal, pointing towards what was once her home. "Suddenly there was a loud thud. Dust engulfed the entire area. We covered our faces with cloth and escaped through another route. Everything else, our belongings, our clothes, remained inside."
The family of four has spent the night on the roadside.
"Since last night, no one from the government has spoken to us. There has been no food, no water. We've only eaten one roti since then," she said.
Just a few metres away, another woman recounts how narrowly her family escaped.
"We were getting ready to sleep when a portion of the structure fell onto our house. It was raining and the door was shut. I pushed my son out first and told him, 'You should live. I can die'. My son and daughter got out, then my husband and I escaped."
For many, survival came at the cost of everything they owned.
"Our cash was inside. Our jewellery was inside. We left everything because saving our lives was more important," said another resident.
When some families later attempted to retrieve their belongings, they allege they were prevented from doing so.
"The police hit us with lathis and told us not to enter," alleges Jaiswal.
Residents also question why the building, despite its condition, continued to have people living inside.
"There were people inside that building. No one from the administration ever came to inspect them," said a resident.
Long before specialised rescue teams reached the site, locals say the first rescue operation was carried out by ordinary residents.
"As soon as the building collapsed, everyone from the locality rushed here," says Dilip Kumar, who remained at the site until nearly 2 am "People were trying to jump from the building. We brought ladders and helped many climb down. Even those who managed to escape turned around and started rescuing others."
He points to neighbouring structures, many of which bear visible cracks.
"These buildings are also weak. They could collapse anytime."
The administration, however, maintains that the tragedy occurred despite repeated warnings.
Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan said the building, constructed around 2007-08, had been classified as a C1 structure, meaning it was beyond repair, and that the municipal corporation had issued notices asking residents to vacate on multiple occasions. According to him, nearly 30 families had already been evacuated before the collapse.
"The contractor had started repair work without taking permission. That resulted in this incident," Mahajan said. He announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of those killed and added that nearby buildings had been evacuated as a precaution.
"The building next to this will also be demolished. We have been appealing to people for a long time to vacate dangerous buildings, but many do not leave. Cluster redevelopment will have to be considered in the future," he said, adding that illegal constructions remain a serious issue in Bhiwandi.
Thane District Collector Krushna Panchal also attributed the collapse to unauthorised repair work.
"This was a C1 building, which means it was beyond repair. The corporation had issued several notices. Yesterday, without permission, the contractor started repair work. When the ward officer learnt about it, around 30 families were evacuated," Panchal said.
However, according to Panchal, workers and a few onlookers later entered the building, after which it collapsed. "The NDRF reached the site within about 40 minutes. A woman and a child were rescued during the initial operation," he said.
Panchal added that structural audits of neighbouring buildings would now be carried out, with unsafe structures likely to be demolished. "We have sent notices to all C1-classified buildings. The larger challenge is illegal buildings. We are working on a cluster redevelopment scheme and will first focus on dilapidated structures," he said.
For the families sitting beside the debris, however, those assurances feel distant.
