In what can be termed as sheer luck, for over 200 families a four-story building in Nalasopara East's Alkapuri area dramatically collapsed after all residents were evacuated averting a major tragedy. According to reports, the collapse was reportedly triggered by unauthorized tampering of a structural pillar during ongoing repair work. The incident occurred at the 15-year-old Sairaj Building in Shankar Nagar near Station Road. The danger signs emerged late Friday night when the structure began leaning dangerously towards the adjacent Kusum Apartment, creating panic among locals and alerting municipal authorities.
Upon receiving distress calls, Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (Manpa) officials rushed to the site. Initial appeals to evacuate the building were met with resistance, as many families feared losing their homes. However, by 11 am on Saturday, with the aid of police personnel, the authorities successfully evacuated all 20 families living in the building and arranged temporary accommodations for them. Miraculously, around 3 pm, just hours after the last family was shifted, the building collapsed.
According to officials, Sairaj Building was a load-bearing structure that had already been declared dilapidated by the civic body, which had issued an evacuation notice before the monsoon. Despite this, residents, in a bid to make the structure habitable, had collectively undertaken repair work. Trouble struck when the contractor allegedly tampered with a key pillar inside a ground-floor shop, compromising the building’s stability.
The collapse severely damaged the adjoining Kusum Apartment and put other nearby buildings at risk. As a precautionary measure, the administration evacuated Kusum Apartment along with three adjacent structures, displacing nearly 150 families in total. Emergency shelters have been arranged at nearby community halls and municipal facilities.
Civic authorities, fire brigade teams, and police are still on site, managing the aftermath and ensuring safety. Many affected residents are distressed, having left behind personal belongings in their now-uninhabitable homes. Due to the instability of the structures, retrieving items remains a dangerous task.