India, Aug. 7 -- Every monsoon, Mumbai's civic authorities release lists of buildings declared 'dangerous' or 'dilapidated' by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA). For thousands of residents, these notices serve as an urgent call to vacate homes deemed structurally unsafe, often triggering anxiety, uncertainty and questions about what lies ahead.

But what exactly qualifies a building as 'dangerous'? Why do both the BMC and MHADA issue separate lists? And what does such a classification mean for residents? Here's an explainer on how Mumbai's dangerous building classification works, why multiple authorities are involved, and what residents need to know if their bui...