After the tragic building collapse in Palghar`s Virar East that killed 17 people, Maharashtra Minister Pratap Sarnaik visited the accident site to meet the affected families and announced that MHADA will provide 60 homes for families affected in incident.
“Sarnaik directed MHADA officials to immediately provide 60 temporary homes from the Bolinj MHADA housing project to families who lost their homes in the disaster. These families will be shifted into their temporary accommodation at the earliest,” officials said.
In the rehabilitation of the families, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has also assured full support from the state government, said an official statement.
Shinde has agreed to implement a Cluster Development and SRA (Slum Rehabilitation Authority) scheme in the Vasai-Virar region to tackle the issue of dangerous and unauthorised buildings, it said.
A meeting regarding the implementation of these schemes will be held next week, Sarnaik informed during a review meeting held at the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) headquarters, the statement said.
Sarnaik strongly criticised the rise of unauthorised constructions in the Vasai-Virar and Nalasopara areas and called for immediate action.
“There should not be a single new illegal wall in Vasai-Virar from now on,” he said, adding that both municipal officials and builders involved in such constructions must face strict action.
The sudden collapse, with no visible warning signs, has triggered serious concerns over building safety and alleged lapses by authorities. Unlike earlier incidents where cracks or structural issues were visible, residents say this structure gave no such indication before falling.
Meanwhile, local MLAs Rajendra Gavit and Rajan Naik have provided Rs 20,000 each as emergency help to all 28 affected families from the collapsed building. Other leaders like MP Hemant Sawara and the Palghar district collector were also present at the site.
The state government has assured full assistance to all those affected and promised steps to prevent such tragedies in the future.
The building, Ramabai Apartment, which housed nearly 50 flats, collapsed at 12.05 am on Wednesday, crashing onto an adjacent but vacant tenement in the Vijay Nagar area, killing 17 people in the incident.
The builder of the ill-fated building, a four-storey structure, in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, has been arrested by the police after the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) lodged a formal complaint with the police.
