A building has collapsed in Bhiwandi of Thane district, Maharashtra, killing at least eight. (Express Photo by Deepak Joshi)The collapse of a four-storey building in Bhiwandi on Thursday night has once again turned the spotlight on the town’s ageing building stock, rampant illegal construction, and years of delayed redevelopment, which have made building collapses a recurring feature every monsoon.The scale of Bhiwandi’s problem, which lies 50 km North of Mumbai, far exceeds that of neighbouring Mumbai despite the vast difference in size. Ahead of the 2026 monsoon, the Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation identified 1,790 dangerous buildings, including 227 in the C1 category that require immediate evacuation and demolition.By comparison, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation identified 174 C1 dangerous buildings across Mumbai this year. While Mumbai has a population of over 1.25 crore spread across 603 sq km, Bhiwandi, with a population of around 7.5 lakh and an area of about 27 sq km, has more than 10 times as many dangerous buildings, highlighting the severity of the town’s ageing and poorly maintained building stock.This is attributed to decades of unplanned growth. Bhiwandi expanded rapidly as a powerloom town before emerging as one of the country’s largest warehousing hubs. Residential buildings, powerloom units and warehouses came up in proximity, often without adequate planning or strict enforcement of building regulations.Many of these buildings are decades old and have received little structural maintenance. Redevelopment has also been slow due to the ownership disputes, the pagdi tenancy system, litigation and disagreements between landlords and tenants. Even after buildings are declared unsafe, many residents continue to occupy them because they have no alternative accommodation.Illegal construction has further worsened the situation. The Bombay High Court has repeatedly criticised civic bodies in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region for failing to curb unauthorised construction despite a 2009 government resolution that laid down procedures to deal with them. In hearings related to Bhiwandi, the court questioned the civic body’s failure to act against illegal structures and described the situation as one of “lawlessness”.The court pulled up the Bhiwandi-Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC) for “lawlessness” and questioned why effective steps were not taken to approach the civil courts to vacate the status quo against certain illegal structures in the area.Story continues below this adThe court said, “The municipal corporation was still in a state of deep slumber”.Every monsoon, the civic body issues notices asking residents to vacate dangerous buildings. However, evacuation remains a challenge as many families cannot afford alternative housing, leaving thousands to continue living in structures that have already been declared unsafe.Bhiwandi has witnessed several major building collapses over the past few years, underscoring the town’s persistent structural safety crisis. In September 2020, the three-storey Jilani Building in Patel Compound collapsed before dawn, killing 38 people. The toll later rose to 41 during rescue operations, making it one of Maharashtra’s deadliest building collapses and prompting the Bombay High Court to initiate a suo motu PIL on illegal and dilapidated buildings.Less than three years later, in April 2023, an eight-storey godown-cum-residential building in Wardhaman Compound, Valpada, Mankoli, collapsed, killing eight people and injuring several others. The structure housed warehouses on the lower floors and residential units above, with rescue operations continuing for more than 45 hours.“There are many such buildings in Bhiwandi that have been declared dangerous. While we are trying to rescue those trapped, I would advise people living in such buildings to vacate them immediately,” Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation Mayor Narayan Chaudhary said.Zeeshan Shaikh is the Associate Editor who heads The Indian Express' Mumbai reporting team. He is recognized for his highly specialized Expertise in analyzing the complex dynamics of Maharashtra politics and critical minority issues, providing in-depth, nuanced, and Trustworthy reports. Expertise Senior Editorial Role: As an Associate Editor leading the Mumbai reporting team, Zeeshan Shaikh holds a position of significant Authority and journalistic responsibility at a leading national newspaper. Core Specialization: His reporting focuses intensely on two interconnected, high-impact areas: Maharashtra Politics & Urban Power Structures: Provides deep-dive analyses into political strategies, municipal elections (e.g., BMC polls), the history of alliances (e.g., Shiv Sena's shifting partners), and the changing demographics that influence civic power in Mumbai. Minority Issues and Socio-Political Trends: Excels in coverage of the Muslim community's representation in power, demographic shifts, socio-economic challenges, and the historical context of sensitive political and cultural issues (e.g., the 'Vande Mataram' debate's roots in the BMC). Investigative Depth: His articles frequently delve into the historical roots and contemporary consequences of major events, ranging from the rise of extremist groups in specific villages (e.g., Borivali-Padgha) to the long-term collapse of established political parties (e.g., Congress in Mumbai). Trustworthiness & Credibility Data-Driven Analysis: Zeeshan's work often incorporates empirical data, such as National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) statistics on arrests and convictions of minorities, or data on asset growth of politicians, grounding his reports in factual evidence. Focus on Hinterland Issues: While based in Mumbai, he maintains a wide lens, covering issues affecting the state's hinterlands, including water crises, infrastructure delays, and the plight of marginalized communities (e.g., manual scavengers). Institutional Affiliation: His senior position at The Indian Express—a publication known for its tradition of rigorous political and investigative journalism—underscores the high level of editorial vetting and Trustworthiness of his reports. He tweets @zeeshansahafi ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:building collapseMaharashtra