Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh for the families of each victim after a building collapse in Mumbai's Mankhurd area claimed six lives, including four children, amid heavy monsoon rain.

The compensation announcement came hours after a ground-plus-three structure in Janata Nagar collapsed late Sunday, trapping residents under the debris. Authorities confirmed that all six victims, four children and two adults, died in the incident.

State Minister Girish Mahajan said the state government would extend financial assistance to the bereaved families and also launch an investigation into the circumstances that led to the collapse.

"The CM has announced that the government will provide compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the relatives of each of the deceased," Mahajan said while reviewing the rescue efforts.

Rain-triggered collapse raises questions over building safety

The tragedy unfolded as Mumbai and its suburbs continued to receive intense rainfall, with officials citing the persistent downpour as a key factor behind the collapse.

Rescue teams from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Mumbai Police and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rushed to the site and carried out an overnight operation. Authorities said no additional victims are believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.

According to officials, the collapsed structure was located in a densely populated slum settlement. The government has ordered a detailed inquiry to determine whether the building had received the required approvals and whether any construction violations contributed to the disaster.

NDRF Assistant Commandant Sarang Kurve said rescue personnel reached the location shortly after receiving the alert and worked under challenging weather conditions to retrieve the victims. Around 45 NDRF personnel were involved in the operation.

The incident has once again brought the spotlight on the safety of ageing and unauthorised structures across Mumbai during the monsoon season, with concerns growing over the vulnerability of densely populated settlements to rain-related disasters.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Samajwadi Party president Abu Azmi questioned how such structures were allowed to come up and demanded accountability from the authorities responsible for monitoring construction and safety norms.

With ANI inputs