Cracks develop in illegal building in Bhiwandi; 45 families vacated

“Around 2.30am on Tuesday, we received a call from a resident that the building had developed cracks. Our team rushed to the spot and 45 families were evacuated to safety by 5.30am,” said Ishwar Adep, disaster management officer, Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC).

Forty-five families living in an illegal and dangerous building at Gaibi Nagar in Bhiwandi were evacuated on Tuesday morning, after the pillars and a beam of the building developed several cracks.

Earlier on August 24, two people were killed and five injured when another illegal building in Piranipada, Shanti Nagar collapsed. (HPraful Gangurde/ HT Photo)

Earlier on August 24, two people were killed and five injured when another illegal building in Piranipada, Shanti Nagar collapsed. Around 22 families from the building and 22 from the neighbouring area were also made to evacuate as a safety measure.

“Around 2.30am on Tuesday, we received a call from a resident that the building had developed cracks. Our team rushed to the spot and 45 families were evacuated to safety by 5.30am,” said Ishwar Adep, disaster management officer, Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC).

As per the civic body, the illegal Ayaz Momeen building is approximately 1.5km from the building that collapsed last week.

The pillars of the ground floor developed cracks following which a resident alerted the disaster management cell. After the evacuation, the civic body’s engineer Javed Azmi inspected the building and collected some samples of the construction.

“After the report is received, the civic body will decide on whether the building should be razed or repaired,” said Adep.

A resident of the building, Sajid Khan, 30, said, “The building is just 15 years old. Two years back it was declared unsafe. A structural audit was done and repairs were also carried out. We are clueless why it is developing cracks now.”

BNCMC development officer Raju Varlikar said, “A structural audit will be carried out by our engineer in two days and a report will be submitted. We will take action after that. Earlier, we had sent notices to the building as it is illegal and dangerous. Since the building did not cause any injury or casualty, we have not booked its builder yet.”