Mumbai: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Orders Forced Evacuation of Dangerous Buildings After Bhiwandi Collapse
Mumbai, 1st August 2026: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed municipal authorities across the state to forcibly evacuate residents from buildings declared structurally dangerous (C-1 category) following the deadly building collapse in Bhiwandi that claimed 10 lives and left several others injured.
Addressing the media in Mumbai, Fadnavis said protecting lives would remain the government’s top priority and that municipal commissioners had been instructed to ensure that all occupants of unsafe buildings are evacuated, even if some residents refuse to leave.
“Once a building is declared C-1 (dangerous), we evacuate the occupants. However, some people refuse to vacate. Life is important, and it is necessary to save lives. Therefore, force will be used, wherever required, to get people out of such buildings,” the Chief Minister said.
He acknowledged that court orders place certain limitations on the use of force during evacuations but said authorities would make every possible effort within the legal framework to clear dangerous structures.
Referring to the Bhiwandi incident, Fadnavis said the collapsed building had already been classified as a C-1 (dangerous) structure, and evacuation notices had been issued. According to information shared by the municipal commissioner, around 25 families had vacated the building before the incident.
However, the Chief Minister alleged that repair work continued despite the building being declared unsafe. He directed the municipal commissioner to register a cognisable offence against the contractor responsible for carrying out the repair work and to initiate strict legal action.
Fadnavis also cited the recent Mankhurd building collapse, stating that authorities had previously evacuated the affected structure and the adjacent building, although a few residents had chosen not to leave.
Expressing grief over the loss of lives in the Bhiwandi tragedy, the Chief Minister conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and announced that the Maharashtra government will provide financial assistance to the next of kin of those who died in the collapse.
The Bhiwandi building collapse has once again raised concerns over the safety of ageing and structurally unstable buildings across Maharashtra, prompting the state government to intensify enforcement measures to prevent similar tragedies.
