In Ulhasnagar locality, Thane, thirty-one Families living in a five-storey building were evacuated after a portion of the building tilted and developed cracks on Monday (August 12). Residents of the 25-year-old Mahak apartments on Link Road in Ulhasnagar camp 3 got trapped after the building cracked up and doors got jammed. 

However, the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) said the building was not on the list of dangerous buildings. 

Residents called the fire brigade when they found that all the doors were jammed. 

UMC chief fire officer Bharkar Mirpagar said, “Residents complained that cracks have developed on the first, second and third floor of the building. People also complained about doors being jammed. We managed to open the doors and rescue the families.”

The UMC claims that they have given accommodation to some residents. “It is not safe to let the residents live in it [the building]. We will do a structural audit of the building and then decide whether to repair or demolish it. It was not a dangerous building,” said Yuvraj Badhane, public relations officer, UMC.

 “Most residents have shifted to their relatives’ place. We gave a temporary place to those who do not have alternative accommodation,” he added. 

However, Sanjay Lulla, a resident said that all 31 families are left homeless.  “Some people were trapped inside their flats as the doors jammed. The civic body rescued them but did not give them accommodation. All 31 families are homeless,” he said.