Nearly four lakh residents continue living in dangerous cessed buildings as redevelopment delays and housing shortages deepen Mumbai’s urban crisis.

Mumbai’s Unsafe Housing Crisis: Bombay HC Panel Warns of Looming Disaster.

A committee appointed by the Bombay High Court has raised serious concerns over Mumbai’s ageing cessed buildings, calling it a “miracle” that nearly four lakh residents still live in structurally unsafe homes without major tragedy. The panel found that 12,552 old buildings across the city remain occupied despite many being on the verge of collapse. Delays in redevelopment, legal disputes, title conflicts, and a lack of transit housing have stalled several projects for years. During inspections, committee members narrowly escaped injury after a heavy cement block fell inside one such dangerous structure. The report also criticised poor repair quality and highlighted the severe shortage of rehabilitation homes, with only around 500 transit units currently available despite thousands being needed. Experts and activists have urged urgent reforms in redevelopment laws, greater transparency, and faster approvals to prevent future disasters and ensure safer housing for Mumbai residents.