Thane civic body identifies over 4,000 dangerous buildings amid monsoon prep

Thane Municipal Corporation. File Photo

In preparation for the monsoon season, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has identified over 4,000 unsafe and old buildings in Thane city. Residents in several of these buildings have been told to leave their houses.

According to TMC spokesperson Ravindra Manjrekar, 4,297 hazardous buildings have been identified across the city's numerous wards. Mumbra ward has the most unsafe structures, with 1,340, followed by Wagle Estate (1,101), Diwa (654), and Kopri-Naupada (433), reported PTI.

According to the report, 86 of these buildings are designated as C-1, which means they are unsafe and untenable and must be abandoned and demolished. Twenty-one of these structures have already been evacuated.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has urged Thane civic body authorities to hasten the evacuation and relocation of inhabitants from these hazardous buildings ahead of the monsoon season, the report added.

TMC chief held a meeting to review monsoon prep

Earlier in March, the newly-appointed Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) Commissioner Saurabh Rao held a high-level pre-monsoon review meeting on Wednesday evening as a proactive measure to maintain the city's resilience ahead of the monsoon season and directed officials to keep the preventive measures in place, according to an official statement.

During the discussion, TMC commissioner Saurabh Rao had emphasised on the significance of completing the drain cleaning tender process and beginning cleaning work in the municipal area by April 15. He also underlined the importance of devising an action plan to solve the problem of excess construction voids, which maintains structural integrity in the face of heavy rainfall.

He had ordered an emergency inspection of 86 severely unsafe structures on Municipal Corporation property, emphasising the importance of immediate action, including evacuation if necessary.

Commissioner Rao had said there was a need for public awareness initiatives to address concerns about unsafe buildings and advised individuals to report any symptoms of structural weakness immediately. He emphasised a humanitarian approach to dealing with each building, assuring the tenants' safety and well-being.

Meanwhile, to improve emergency response capabilities, the TMC Commissioner had directed that all major officers and emergency staff keep their mobile phones on and in constant communication.

Rao also went to the Data Centre, an important part of the city's emergency management infrastructure. He detailed intentions to expand its use to enable faster alerts in emergency scenarios. Furthermore, arrangements for a professional coordinator from Mahavitaran and the police during the monsoon season were considered to ensure flawless coordination.