The decision was taken after two building crashes – that of Sai Shakti on Friday night and Mohini Palace on May 15. In all, 12 people have been killed, seven on Friday and five in the earlier crash. Both buildings were constructed in 1994-1995, when inferior quality of sand was used for construction of buildings in the township.

Thane guardian minister Eknath Shinde said the state government will give Rs 5 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased in the latest tragedy.

Dr Yuvraj Bhadane, public relations officer of Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation, said, “After the Mohini Palace collapse, we in the last 10 days have served notices to 990 buildings which look dangerous from the outside, including 50 buildings that came up in 1994-1995, asking them to get structural audits done.”

He added, “To avoid any human loss in future, the civic body on a priority basis will evacuate people living in 50 buildings that have come up in 1994-1995. Most buildings constructed at that time are collapsing because inferior quality of sand was used in that period.”

If UMC is issuing notices, it must also arrange for accommodation for a significant number of people. In addition to this, the state government must urgently take up the task of reconstruction of some of the precarious buildings and at the same time initiate action against the builders who were guilty of constructing such illegal, hazardous structures.TimesView

Shinde has asked UMC chief Dr Raja Dayanidhi to submit a report about technical problems faced by citizens in the regularisation and redevelopment of illegal buildings despite the FSI of 4 given to such buildings.

He said, “In 1994-95, the local civic body had demolished some of the unauthorized buildings by pulling down their slabs, pillars and rods. But some developers welded the iron rods, recast the slabs and reconstructed the buildings. Such structures are now crashing.” He directed the UMC chief to shift occupants of such buildings to safer places.