'No Covers, No Water Tankers': Reckless Demolition In Matunga Raises Safety Concerns As Old Building Razed Without Protection Nets

A resident from Mumbai’s Matunga East has raised serious safety concerns after an old building was demolished without basic precautionary measures on May 6. The incident occurred at Plot No. 34 on Lotlikar Marg, where redevelopment work is currently underway.

The incident came to light after a post and images were shared by Nikhil Desai on X (formerly Twitter). In his post, he alleged that no protective covers were installed around the demolition site, and there were no water tankers or misting sprays to control dust pollution.

Photos shared online showed thick clouds of dust spreading across the surrounding area, affecting nearby homes, pedestrians, and commuters. Residents in the vicinity expressed concerns over potential health risks due to prolonged exposure to dust.

The post also questioned the implementation of municipal regulations, alleging that rules meant to ensure safe demolition practices are not being followed. "BMC laws and rules remain only on paper," he said.

BMC Responds

Responding to the complaint, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) acknowledged the issue and said, “We regret your inconvenience. We have intimated BMC Ward to attend this.”

Meanwhile, in March, a video from Andheri showed a section of a building collapsing onto the road and footpath during demolition work in Andheri West's Lokhandwala area has gone viral on social media, raising safety concerns. The incident occurred during the demolition of the Sneha Sagar Building.

In another demolition, the Andheri West building from the Seven Bungalows area sparked serious safety concerns after a video showed a substantial section of the structure collapsing, with no visible precautionary measures or protective barricading in place.

Recently, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) urged residents and housing societies to undertake mandatory structural audits of buildings, particularly those over 30 years old, ahead of the monsoon, warning that unsafe structures and unauthorised alterations could lead to serious accidents.

The civic body said pre-monsoon surveys are underway, and buildings found to be dangerous will be classified under Section 264 of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act. Structures falling under the highly dangerous C-1 category will be evacuated following High Court directives, with notices issued to respective housing societies.

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