The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has identified 82 cessed buildings in Mumbai's island area as 'highly dangerous' in its annual pre-monsoon survey. According to reports from Business Standard, the survey was conducted by MHADA's Mumbai Building Repairs and Reconstruction Board, with the list including 43 structures that had been classified as highly dangerous last year. The housing authority released this information on Friday, highlighting the ongoing safety concerns in the city's older buildings and underscoring the slow pace of redevelopment and repair in these structures.
The 82 buildings house a total of 2,736 occupants, including 2,256 residential and 480 non-residential tenants and residents, as reported by Business Standard. MHADA has already served notices to 176 residential occupants directing them to vacate the premises. Of these, 29 tenants have shifted to the authority's transit camps, while 36 have made alternative accommodation arrangements on their own. The authority stated that eviction notices are being issued to the remaining tenants/residents of these buildings, with the premises vacating process currently underway. Officials have warned that stricter enforcement will follow if evacuation is delayed, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
According to the MHADA release reported by Business Standard, arrangements would have to be made for 2,102 occupants in transit camps, and the Board has initiated the necessary process. The authority has appealed to residents of dangerous buildings to cooperate with officials during the evacuation drive and follow safety instructions to prevent accidents and loss of life and property during the monsoon season. MHADA also urged residents to immediately report any signs of structural distress or accidents in old buildings, with the housing authority reiterating that public cooperation is critical—timely evacuation can save lives.
To handle emergencies and assist residents, MHADA and civic authorities have activated round-the-clock control rooms across multiple locations. As reported by Business Standard, residents can contact the Board's control room at Rajni Mahal, 1st Floor, Tardeo Road, Mumbai – 400034 with landline numbers 23536945 / 23517423, or the Municipal Headquarters at Fort, Mumbai with telephone numbers 22694725 / 22694727. Additionally, residents can contact the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's control room. This comprehensive contact system ensures residents seeking assistance during the evacuation process and for reporting structural concerns in old buildings have multiple access points.
The identified buildings span across multiple locations in Mumbai City Island, with 43 of these buildings already classified as dangerous last year, highlighting the persistent structural risk in the city's aging cessed buildings. According to the latest MHADA list, the buildings include Building No. 23–27, Banyan Street, Building No. 40, Bapu Court Street, Building No. 404–416 cluster, Sheikh Memon Street & adjoining areas, and multiple structures on Maulana Azad Road and Girgaon areas. Experts warn that without faster redevelopment approvals and tenant cooperation, such high-risk lists will continue to expand each year, particularly in South and Central Mumbai where the aging housing stock is most concentrated.
