Reinforced concrete (RC) flat slabs are commonly introduced in medium-rise buildings because of their constructional and architectural benefits. However, the tensile brittleness of normal concrete can lead to progressive collapse in such RC structure, triggered by punching shear failure. The failure for such slabs is a significant concern. So, this study addresses it through experimental identification and numerical analysis to enhance the safety and sustainability of buildings. This paper investigates the effectiveness of strain hardening cementitious composites (SHCC) drop panels in enhancing the punching shear resistance of two-way RC slabs. The study aims to study various strengthening strategies incorporated within the SHCC panels, including glass fiber reinforced polymers (GFRP) mesh, galvanized steel mesh (GSM) reinforcement, and the impact of anchor bolts. Nine two-way flat slabs have been studied. The main studied parameters were: panel thickness, type of reinforcing mesh, and use of anchors. Experimental tests on slab specimens, coupled with numerical simulations, validate the findings. The results reveal significant improvements in all strengthened configurations compared to non-strengthened slabs. These improvements encompass increased stiffness, first-crack load, ultimate load capacity, and energy absorption capability. Thicker SHCC drop panels and the use of anchor bolts yielded the most dramatic enhancements. Furthermore, GSM reinforcement demonstrated superior performance compared to GFRP mesh across all configurations. GSM mesh outperformed GFRP mesh, especially in stiffness (up to 237 % increase) and energy absorption (up to 249 %). Interestingly, anchor bolts proved beneficial regardless of panel thickness or mesh type. Increasing the number of anchors from 4 to 12 to 16 resulted in load increases by 50.80 %, 51.90 %, and 53.50 %, respectively. While all slabs exhibited similar cracking patterns, the point of initial cracking and the overall failure load varied depending on the specific strengthening method employed.