Navi Mumbai: Tenants Demand Mandatory Building Safety Audit Amid Monsoon Leak Crisis

Navi Mumbai: Concerned over leaking roofs, cracked walls, and safety hazards, tenants and residents across Navi Mumbai have urged the state government to order a compulsory safety audit of all buildings — residential, commercial, and public — to prevent further deterioration and protect lives and property.

Social media platform Human Chain has appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to initiate immediate inspections of buildings, including APMC market complexes, citing serious structural weaknesses caused by continuous water leakage during monsoons. “Many buildings leak throughout the year, often worse than the rainfall in Cherrapunji,” said Human Chain convenor B N Kumar in a direct email to the CM.

Kumar criticized the widespread use of sub-standard construction material, including sand and even sewage water for curing buildings. Combined with poor or no maintenance, he warned that this has turned many structures into ticking time bombs.

In a shocking example, Ranjana Vishnu Waghchoure, a senior citizen and domestic worker in Kopar Khairane, said her flat has been leaking for months. Despite repeated complaints to her housing society, no action has been taken. Overflowing plastic water tanks on the terrace continue to damage her ceiling. “What if there's a short circuit? Who will be responsible?” she asked.

Her appeal to municipal ward officials also proved futile. “They told me to bring more affected residents, but no one wants to get involved,” she said, lamenting the apathy.

Tenant rights activist Madhu Shankar, residing in Sector 28, Vashi, highlighted the day-to-day struggles of tenants. “Kitchen appliances have been damaged, grocery spoils often due to water dripping — and still, all our landlord cares about is rent,” she said. When she persisted with complaints, her landlord asked her to vacate the flat before the lease ended — and even involved a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) worker to pressure her.

“The worker warned that they would 'deal with it their way' to get the flat vacated,” said B N Kumar, who cautioned them to abide by legal procedures instead of resorting to threats. “Political and social outfits should address real issues like leaking buildings rather than flex muscle,” he added.

With municipal elections approaching, Kumar urged affected citizens to confront candidates with their waterlogged homes and demand accountability. “Let the vote-seekers see the reality before making promises,” he said.

Real estate consultant Naresh Shah added that Navi Mumbai's so-called “City of the 21st Century” image is crumbling, with many structures like JN-1 and JN-2 housing types quickly developing leaks. An earlier IIT report had even deemed them unfit for human habitation. “Sadly, builders often cut corners to save costs, compromising long-term safety,” Shah said.

The Human Chain group also demanded that RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority) be tasked with examining tenant rights — a responsibility it currently does not undertake.

With civic infrastructure under strain and public confidence in housing quality eroding, citizens say the government must act swiftly before minor leaks lead to major tragedies.