Virar Illegal Building Collapse: Death Toll Rises To 17, Rescue Ops Continue

Palghar: A devastating building collapse in Virar, 30 kilometres away from Mumbai, in the early hours of Wednesday claimed at least 17 lives, while nine people were successfully rescued, according to the CMO. The incident took place around 12:05 am when the rear portion of the four-story structure gave way and crashed onto an adjacent vacant chawl, averting an even greater tragedy.

The Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) later confirmed that the building, constructed in 2012, was unauthorised. The structure housed nearly 50 flats, with 12 located in the portion that collapsed. Among the deceased were a 24-year-old woman, Aarohi Omkar Jovil, and her one-year-old daughter, Utkarsha. Six others remain critically injured and under treatment.

Rescue Ops Continue For More Than 30 Hours

Rescue operations, led by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and civic authorities, have been underway for more than 30 hours and continue to progress on a 'war footing.' Initially, congested surroundings delayed the use of heavy equipment, forcing rescuers to work manually. However, large-scale debris clearance is now being carried out with heavy machinery. District Collector Indu Rani Jakhar confirmed that some victims could still be trapped beneath the rubble.

Authorities have so far identified seven of the victims, including Aarohi and her daughter, along with Laxman Kisku Singh (26), Dinesh Prakash Sapkal (43), Supriya Nivalkar (38), her son Arnav Nivalkar (11) and Parvati Sapkal. Families displaced by the collapse have been shifted to Chandansar Samajmandir, where municipal officials are providing food, water and medical assistance.

Builder Arrested After Disastrous Collapse

The tragedy has also triggered swift legal action. The builder of the collapsed structure, Nital Gopinath Sane, has been arrested following a complaint filed by the VVMC. A case has also been registered against the landowner under sections 52, 53, and 54 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, as well as section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

CMO Announces ₹5 Lakh Aid

Expressing grief, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid tribute to the victims and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for each of the deceased’s families. “We stand with the bereaved families in this hour of grief,” he said in a statement. The CMO added that the rescue operation, which has been ongoing for 48 hours with NDRF assistance, is expected to conclude within the next few hours.