Maharashtra: Kalyan Building Slab Collapse Kills Six, Owner Arrested for Unauthorised Work

Six people, including a toddler, were killed and six others injured on Tuesday when a concrete slab collapsed during illegal renovation work at a residential building in Kalyan East. The incident occurred around 1:40 pm at Shri Saptashrungi building in Chikanghar’s Chiknipada locality.

The slab from flat no. 401 gave way and crashed through all the floors below, reducing the structure to a mangled heap of rubble. Among the deceased were family members visiting for the day, long-time residents, and a labourer working on reportedly unauthorised renovations inside the flat.

The dead have been identified as Pramila Sahu (56), her daughters Sunita Sahu (38) and Sujata Padhi (32), two-year-old Namashri Shelar, her grandmother’s sister Sushila Gujar (78), and Vyankat Chavan (42), a labourer hired for flooring work that morning.

Namashri and her mother had been visiting Gujar at the time. Chavan died under the debris while his helper survived—having stepped out to get materials. Chavan leaves behind four children. His family is now seeking government compensation.

The Sahu family lost three members in the collapse. Pramila Sahu had travelled from Mulund to visit her daughter Sunita. Sujata, who lived in another part of Kalyan, had also dropped by. Sunita’s two children—Shraddha (12) and Vinayak (4)—were pulled out alive but injured. Vinayak sustained facial injuries and a fractured leg.

According to police, unauthorised renovation work in flat 401 compromised the building’s structural stability. The flat owner, Krishna Lalchand Chourasia (40), was arrested late Tuesday night. “He undertook flooring work without the mandatory approvals, which directly led to the incident,” said Senior Inspector Ganesh Nhayade of Kolsewadi police station.

Chourasia has been booked under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, as well as relevant sections of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966.

Rescue operations were challenging due to the building’s cramped surroundings, with no direct access road. Locals were the first to respond, rushing in to help victims even before emergency services arrived. Fire personnel and municipal teams continued rescue work until 6:30 pm.

Following the operation, the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) began shifting residents’ belongings and prepared the structure for demolition. KDMC officials said that although the building was not on the list of 513 dangerous structures in the city, a staff visit just four days ago had flagged it as unfit for occupancy.

“We asked residents to get a structural audit done,” said KDMC Deputy Municipal Commissioner Awdhoot Tawade. “But no further action was taken.” The remaining portion of the building has now been declared unsafe and demolition has been ordered.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced ₹5 lakh ex-gratia for the families of the deceased. BJP state executive president and MLA Ravindra Chavan visited the site and instructed officials to provide temporary shelter for displaced families. “This is a serious lapse,” Chavan said. “We will ensure accountability and relief for affected families.”a​