Bhiwandi collapse: Wrong civic classification delayed action on 'dangerous' building

Thane: An administrative lapse in classifying a 'dangerous' structure let residents remain in a four‑storey Bhiwandi building that later collapsed, killing 10 persons, civic sources said.

A portion of the Kohinoor Building, comprising 48 rooms, 12 on each floor, in the Balaji Nagar area of Bhiwandi in Maharashtra's Thane district, came crashing down on the night of July 30. The incident also left three injured.

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A senior official with the Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC) on Sunday said the building was incorrectly classified by the local ward officer, which delayed the required safety actions.

In the official list published on May 12, the building, located in civic ward 04, was listed under category 'C2B' (for structural repairs without eviction). Across the ward, 55 buildings were placed in 'C-1' (most dangerous/eviction required), 164 in 'C2A' (repairs requiring partial eviction), and 107 in the 'C2B' category.

The misclassification did not necessitate immediate eviction, and instead allowed residents to stay in the building. A contractor then began carrying out repairs without obtaining permission from the BNCMC, the official said.

Besides wrongly categorising the building, local officials also provided inaccurate information to the higher authorities, he said.

During a meeting on August 5 with Thane Collector Shrikrishna Panchal, who is also holding the charge of BNCMC commissioner, the ward staff incorrectly reported the building was listed under Category 'C2A', a statement that hid the true extent of its structural degradation and delayed forceful intervention, he said.

The civic commissioner has proceeded on leave, officials said.

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Panchal has ordered comprehensive re-audits and re-classification of all structures under C-1, C2A, and C2B categories across Bhiwandi, they said.

Disciplinary action and direct criminal/administrative accountability will be enforced against civic officials found submitting false or negligent building classifications, the officials said.

After the building collapse, the BNCMC said in a statement that the building was identified as "dangerous" and a notice was first issued on September 7, 2020, ordering property owners to submit a structural audit report. A reminder notice was served on April 22, 2022.

Following non-compliance, the civic body issued eviction notices on June 5, 2026, subsequently disconnecting electricity and water supply to the premises and evacuating families. However, the property owners illegally initiated structural repair works, it had said.

Police have registered an FIR against the building owner and a contractor who was allegedly executing unauthorised work on the premises.