Nine dead after residential building collapses in Maharashtra's Bhiwandi

A residential building collapse in India's financial capital region has left at least nine people dead, with rescue teams continuing to search for survivors feared trapped beneath the rubble.

The four-storey Kohinoor Building collapsed late on Thursday in Bhiwandi, a densely populated industrial town in Maharashtra's Thane district, located on the outskirts of Mumbai. Officials said several residents were inside the building when it gave way, prompting a large-scale rescue operation involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Thane Disaster Response Force (TDRF), firefighters, police and local civic authorities.

Several people were rescued from the debris and shifted to nearby hospitals, while rescue workers recovered nine bodies. Authorities have warned that the death toll could rise as search operations continue.

Rescue teams, assisted by cranes, earthmovers and sniffer dogs, have been carefully removing debris in the hope of locating anyone still trapped. Officials said the operation is being carried out cautiously because of the risk of further structural collapse.

Preliminary information indicates that repair work was underway at the ageing building before the collapse. Authorities have not confirmed whether the repairs contributed to the incident. A detailed structural audit and police investigation will begin after rescue efforts are completed.

The collapse has once again drawn attention to the recurring problem of ageing and unsafe buildings in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Bhiwandi, known as one of India's largest warehousing and powerloom hubs, has witnessed several fatal building collapses over the past decade. Rapid urbanisation, ageing residential structures, unauthorised construction, inadequate maintenance and overcrowding have combined to make parts of the city particularly vulnerable to structural failures.

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The risk increases during India's annual monsoon season, which runs from June to September. Heavy and prolonged rainfall can weaken already compromised buildings by seeping into foundations, corroding steel reinforcement and placing additional stress on ageing structures. Every year, municipal authorities across Maharashtra identify hundreds of buildings as dangerous and issue evacuation notices. However, many residents continue to occupy these buildings because of housing shortages, financial constraints or delays in redevelopment projects.

Building collapses during the monsoon have become a recurring safety concern in Maharashtra, particularly in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, where ageing infrastructure coexists with one of the world's highest urban population densities. Fatal incidents in Mumbai, Thane and neighbouring cities have repeatedly raised questions about enforcement of building safety regulations, structural audits and the pace of redevelopment.

Senior district officials are monitoring the rescue operation, while authorities have urged residents to avoid the area to allow emergency crews to continue their work. The identities of several victims have not yet been released as officials work to inform their families.