A day after Belapur building collapse, several illegal structures razed in Navi Mumbai

The demolition drive which was carried out across all eight wards of the city, included illegal structures constructed by Mahesh Khumbar, the builder whose just over 10-years-old building collapsed on Saturday. The NMMC filed an FIR with the Belapur police against the builder and the owner of the plot

Mumbai: A day after a ground-plus-three-storey building in Shabaz Village in Belapur came crashing down, resulting in the death of three people and injuring two others, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) razed several unauthorised buildings on Sunday to avoid similar incidents.

Navi Mumbai, India - July 28, 2024:Follow up 2nd day, three dead in the G+3 building collapsed at Shahbaz Village , Belapur in Navi Mumbai, India, on Sunday, July 28, 2024. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO)

The demolition drive which was carried out across all eight wards of the city, included illegal structures constructed by Mahesh Khumbar, the builder whose just over 10-years-old building collapsed on Saturday. The NMMC filed an FIR with the Belapur police against the builder and the owner of the plot.

Civic officials said they razed 7 illegal shops as well as the unauthorised extension of Khumbar’s residence. In addition to this, the officials also brought down eight shops constructed by Ravindra Waghmare, who is the relative of the plot owner Sharad Waghmare where the building collapsed.

“Notices were already issued by the ward office informing that the constructions and extensions were illegal and were to be removed immediately. But there was no compliance and therefore these were demolished by the corporation,” said the deputy municipal commissioner (encroachment) Dr Rahul Gethe.

After the Belapur building collapse, the civic body said it served 75 notices to several illegal structures across the city and said more will receive them in the days ahead.

In Turbhe ward, an illegal extension to a home was demolished. In Koparkhairane, a demolition drive was conducted in two residential properties for unauthorised construction work. At Ghansoli ward, additional construction on the 6th floor was removed. The plinth and RCC column raised without any permission from NMMC was demolished. A multi-storeyed illegal construction behind the fish market in Airoli was also demolished. “Ward-wise survey has been undertaken to identify illegal constructions in the city and they were already served notices. On Sunday, simultaneous demolition drives were undertaken across all 8 wards. In the coming days more such actions will be initiated as there will be zero intolerance to such illegal activities as lives are being risked with substandard constructions,” said the municipal commissioner Kailas Shinde.