18 July,2026 01:45 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
Representational image. File pic
A portion of land caved in at a construction site in Thane's Naupada area on Saturday morning following excavation work for a residential building project, prompting an emergency response from civic authorities. No injuries or casualties were reported in the incident.
The cave-in occurred around 8.30 am at Bhaskar Colony, where excavation activities destabilised the adjoining land, leaving a tree and a compound wall of a neighbouring property in a hazardous condition.
According to the Thane Municipal Corporation's (TMC) Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC), the incident was caused by excavation work being carried out for an under-construction building.
"The excavation for a building project caused a section of land to cave in. This left a tree and a compound wall in the premises of the adjacent building in an extremely dangerous condition," RDMC chief Yasin Tadvi said.
The incident did not result in any injuries, but officials immediately initiated precautionary measures to prevent further damage.
Following the cave-in, teams from the RDMC, Public Works Department (PWD), Fire Brigade and the Tree Authority reached the site with utility vehicles and a hydraulic lifter.
Officials assessed the stability of the affected area and secured the site to ensure the safety of nearby residents and pedestrians.
As the excavation had left a large tree leaning dangerously towards the adjacent property, the Tree Authority removed it to eliminate the immediate risk.
According to civic officials, the developer has begun immediate soil stabilisation measures to prevent additional cave-ins and strengthen the excavation site.
"The developer has initiated immediate measures to stabilise the soil and prevent further cave-ins. Further necessary action will be taken by the construction and town planning departments," Tadvi said.
Authorities are expected to examine whether all prescribed safety measures were followed during the excavation work.
The latest incident comes a day after a portion of the boundary wall of a dilapidated bungalow collapsed onto a busy road in Thane's Naupada area on Friday morning.
The collapse occurred around 9.30 am, but no injuries were reported.
Disaster management personnel, along with officials from the Public Works Department and the anti-encroachment department, cleared the debris using a pickup vehicle and a JCB machine to restore normal traffic movement.
According to the TMC, the bungalow had previously been classified as a 'C-1' structure, indicating that it was in a dangerous condition, unfit for occupation and required immediate demolition.
Officials said the property's structural vulnerability had already been identified before the boundary wall collapsed.
(With inputs from PTI)
