Unqualified design, substandard materials at fault in Virar apartment collapse

In Virar East, Maharashtra, the four-story Ramabai Apartments building collapsed on 26 August 2025, killing 17 people and injuring nine, according to a chargesheet filed by the Mira-Bhayandar-Vasai-Virar (MBVV) police crime branch. 

The chargesheet, spanning 4,015 pages, states that the landowner, Parshuram Dalvi, drew up the floor plan and blueprint himself, without the involvement of an architect or any technical professional. The building was constructed by contractor Nital Sane, who has been arrested and is in jail on charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. 

Investigations revealed several severe structural shortcomings: the building, completed in 2012, was found by the Public Works Department (PWD) to have been so weak that “it was not even strong enough to stand for two years.” The dimensions of the foundation and structural design were inconsistent with the height of the structure, leading to uneven settlement and failure. 

Among the highlighted faults: the gap between the collapsed wing and an adjacent structure measured just three meters, which was insufficient to prevent settlement interactions. Additionally, the construction materials and methods were subpar. 

The chargesheet notes that the building’s embankment wall and foundation did not meet legal or engineering standards. No stone-pitching was installed to prevent erosion and seepage, and the soil quality used was below standard. 

The case has brought the issue of unauthorized and unsafe construction into sharp focus in the Vasai-Virar region. The city municipal authority had issued notices in May to conduct a structural audit of the building, but no action was taken to vacate the premises prior to the collapse. 

Legal proceedings are ongoing, and engineers, prosecutors and municipal authorities are reviewing the chain of responsibility that allowed the building to be designed, constructed, sold and occupied without proper professional oversight.