Delayed trials, one conviction: The story of 10 major building collapses in and around Mumbai that killed 326 in 30 yrs
In many cases over the past decades, where building collapses have taken place due to unauthorised constructions or structural changes or lack of needed repairs, developers and civic authorities have been booked.
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A portion of a four-storey residential building collapsed in Chamundanagar, Virar, leading to 17 deaths. (File Photo)Seventeen persons including two children died in the building collapse in Virar in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region on Wednesday. While police arrested four, including the developers of the Ramabai Apartment, the collapse once again shed a spotlight on unauthorised constructions. In many cases over the past decades, where building collapses have taken place due to unauthorised constructions or structural changes or lack of needed repairs, developers and civic authorities have been booked.
An analysis of ten major building collapse cases in the MMR and surrounding districts over the last 30 years showed that even as over 325 people lost their lives in these incidents, cases against the accused booked for negligence in these incidents remain pending for many years or have not ended up in punishment for anyone responsible. Lawyers say that unless the cases are assigned to special courts for speedy disposal, they will suffer from delays and may not lead to those responsible being brought to book. Here is a look at ten cases where the most number of people lost their lives. While in most cases the trial is still underway, there has been a conviction in only one case.
Lucky Compound, 2013: 74 killed, over 60 injured
Status of trial: Witnesses being examined.
On April 4, 2013, Adarsh building in Lucky Compound in Shil Daighar area near Mumbra in Thane collapsed. In one of the worst building collapses in the country, the toll reached 74, which included several children. It was alleged the building had been constructed without authorisation on forest land and was built within two months with its eighth floor still under construction. Its residents, most of them poor workers who were lured with low rent, lost their lives or family members.
The police had then arrested top officials of the Thane Municipal Corporation, civic engineers, a corporator, architects, agents, and others. Twelve years on, the trial in the case is still underway, with the accused out on bail.
Within days of the Lucky Compound collapse, another building collapsed in Mumbra on June 21, 2013, causing the death of 10 persons, including four children.
Babu Genu Building, 2013: 60 dead
Status of trial: All civic authorities discharged, one accused still facing charges, trial yet to begin.
Months after the Lucky Compound collapse, even as the state had ordered an inquiry into a nexus of officials and builders, another building collapse took place in Mazgaon on September 27, 2013. The building housed employees of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s market department. It had been claimed that the building, which was over 30-years-old, was declared dilapidated and an illegal alteration made by one of the tenants had led to the collapse.
The Mumbai Police had arrested 11 persons in the case, including an executive engineer of BMC, and other senior officers of the civic body. All the BMC officials arrested in the case have been discharged one by one after the court said no sanction was granted to prosecute them by the civic body, stating that there was no evidence to indicate their involvement. A sanction under section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code is required to prosecute public servants in criminal cases to safeguard them from frivolous cases.
The trial in the case is yet to begin against the sole remaining accused.
Lawyer Shishir Hiray, who had been appointed as a special public prosecutor in the Lucky Compound and Babu Genu building cases, but stepped down later, said these cases were marred by delays. “These cases involving building collapses have voluminous documents and many witnesses. Unless there is a dedicated court assigned for regular hearings, the cases take a long time to commence in the first place and then disposed. There are building collapse cases in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, due to unauthorised constructions, where innocent lives are lost and hence there should be steps taken to protect witnesses, monitor and expedite trials. The nexus between officials and builders, in some cases, is also challenging to prove as there is no agreement found in written form,” Hiray said.
Jilani building, 2020: 41 dead
Status of trial: The trial is pending.
The Jilani building collapse in Bhiwandi claimed 41 lives on September 21, 2020. It was the highest casualty reported in a building collapse case in the region, where there have been other instances of unauthorised constructions, including one incident in 2023, where eight died in a collapse. In the 2020 case, the police had arrested the builder and three officials of the Bhiwandi-Nizampura city municipal corporation, alleging inaction and negligence.
Hussaini building, 2017: 33 dead
Status of trial: The trial is yet to begin, currently stayed by the Bombay High Court.
The 117-year-old Hussaini Manzil in Bhendi Bazaar had collapsed on August 31, 2017, causing the death of 33 persons. The building was part of a cluster development project in the area. An office-bearer of the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust, Shoaib Wajihuddin was arrested in the case. He had claimed that some of the tenants had refused to vacate the building despite reminders and alternative accommodation offered. The court, while rejecting his plea in 2018, had said that steps were not taken to vacate the tenants. He was eventually granted bail by the High Court in September 2018.
Laxmi Chhaya, 2007: 30 dead
Status of trial: Trial concluded after 16 years in 2023, accused acquitted for lack of evidence.
On July 18, 2007, Laxmi Chhaya building in Borivali collapsed, killing 30 of its residents. The police had arrested a person, who owned two shops in the building, claiming that alterations were made by him in flats which led to the damage. In a trial that went on for 16 years, however, the shop owner booked for the collapse was acquitted in 2023. The court observed that there was no evidence against Kailash Jain, as the responsibility of conducting a structural audit of a building which was over 30 years old was on the housing society. The court had said he cannot be held responsible for the collapse in absence of any evidence, particularly as three of Jain’s family members had also died in the collapse.
Siddhi Sai, 2013: 17 dead
Status of trial: Trial is yet to begin.
A residential building in Ghatkopar (West) had collapsed on July 25, 2017 claiming 17 lives, including 11 women. The building’s secretary, Sunil Shitap, had been arrested on allegations that he made structural changes to the building leading to its collapse. Shitap was granted bail in 2021, on grounds that included a delay in the trial’s commencement. While granting him bail, the Bombay High Court had directed that the trial be expedited and attempt be made to conclude it within a year. The trial is yet to begin.
Aftab Manzil, 2013: 11 dead
Status of trial: Trial yet to begin, one accused discharged
On June 10, 2013, a part of Aftab Manzil in Mahim had collapsed causing the deaths of 11 persons. The police had booked eight persons claiming that the structure had weakened because of structural changes made to it. The BMC had also suspended three of its officers after complaints that the civic body had not acted on grievances raised by building residents. One accused was discharged in the case, while trial against seven others is yet to begin.
Sadaf Manzil, 2005: 11 dead
Status of trial: Two engineers of MHADA convicted in 2008, appeal pending in Bombay High Court.
A four-storey building at Nagpada had collapsed on August 23 2005, killing 11. This is one of the rare cases where a trial was held and two were found guilty. While the police had booked the building owner, a contractor and an architect, along with two engineers of the Maharashtra Housing and Development Authority, the court acquitted all but the two engineers. The court held them guilty of negligence and sentenced them to two years in jail on April 17, 2008. The court had said that three weeks before the collapse, a report was submitted by them that the building did not need repairs or the tenants do not need to be vacated. The men were granted bail by the high court a few days later on May 2, 2008. The high court website shows that while their appeal against the conviction was admitted, there has been no hearing since 2008.
Govinda Towers, 1998: 33 dead
Status of trial: No criminal case pending, a plea for redevelopment of the building by appointing a new developer was permitted in 2023 by the high court.
The Govinda Towers at Kherwadi in Bandra (east) collapsed on August 3, 1998. The building had seven floors and at least 33 died, with residents claiming the number is actually 42. It had been alleged that initially the building was proposed to be four floors, and three additional ones were permitted by the BMC. Two large water tanks had been fitted too above the seventh floor, weakening the structure, which led to the collapse. The residents had approached the High Court in 2001 calling for an investigation and reports from the state government. A lawyer for the residents said that no criminal case was filed and their plea to appoint a new developer for redevelopment was permitted in 2023.
Tarique Garden, 2020: 16 dead
Status of case: Trial yet to begin.
A building in Mahad in Raigad district, over 150-km from Mumbai, collapsed on September 3, 2020, killing 16. The police booked builder Farooque Kazi, and seven others including a staffer of a municipal corporation and an architect. Residents had alleged they had submitted complaints about the quality of the construction after they moved in. The trial in the case is yet to begin.
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