Bhiwandi building collapse: PM Modi announces Rs 2 lakh ex gratia for victims' kin
New Delhi, July 31
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed grief over the loss of nine lives in the Bhiwandi building collapse in Maharashtra's Thane district and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.
The Prime Minister's Office in a post on X conveyed his condolences, stating, "I am deeply saddened by the news of the loss of lives due to the building collapse in Thane, Maharashtra. In this tragic incident, my condolences are with the grieving families. My prayers are that the injured in this accident recover as soon as possible."
"The families of those who lost their lives in this accident will be given relief assistance of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund, and the injured will receive Rs 50,000," he added.
The Prime Minister's announcement came after a four-storey residential building in Bhiwandi's Gangaram Wadi, Narapoli, partially collapsed late on Thursday night, leaving at least nine people dead.
According to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), rescue operations continued throughout Friday, with three to four more people feared trapped beneath the debris.
The collapse occurred between 11 pm and 11:30 pm when a portion of the 'B Wing' of the Ground-plus-four-storey Kohinoor Building gave way.
According to the Thane Municipal Corporation Disaster Management Cell, the building had already been declared dangerous by the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation. Despite being categorised as unsafe, repair work was reportedly underway following which the incident occurred.
Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis termed the incident "extremely tragic" and directed the Municipal Commissioner to immediately register an FIR and take strict action against those responsible.
He also said treatment was being provided to the injured and expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
Personnel from the NDRF, Thane Disaster Response Force (TDRF), local fire brigade, police and district administration are continuing search and rescue operations at the site.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Such a heartbreaking incident. It's sad that in so many parts of India, people are forced to live in dangerous buildings because they have no other options. The government's help is appreciated, but we need preventive actions. CM Fadnavis has done right to order an FIR. But let's hope that all such buildings are identified and vacated before another tragedy like this happens. 🙏
Condolences to the families affected by this tragedy in Thane. It's good to see the Indian government responding quickly with relief funds. But what about accountability for the people who conducted repair work on a building already termed unsafe? Let's hope the investigation gets to the bottom of it and doesn't just fade away. Prayers for everyone affected.
9 lives lost and the PM announces 2 lakh each. I guess it's better than nothing but it will take years for families to recover from this loss and trauma. The real issue here is the rampant illegal constructions in and around Mumbai. Neither the developers nor the municipality have any sense of responsibility. This is a wake-up call for all Indian citizens. Stay safe everyone.
Absolutely sad news. The whole Mumbai region feels this loss. While the immediate relief is good, one also has to note that the Bhiwandi municipality failed to evacuate the residents despite knowing that the building was unsafe. The FIR should not just be against the builder but also the officials who were responsible for oversight. My heart goes out to the affected families.
Thoughts and prayers to everyone affected by this collapse in Thane.
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