BMC a statutory body, working for welfare of city dealing with developmental issues, also day-to-day problems and any other issue at societal level. Recently, BMC has to face a new task dealing with unsafe buildings. On the head of monsoon season, BMC is facing chaos as there are almost 500 structures that are not strong enough and which has now no scope of reparation. Although they have declared those buildings unfit for residence still they are struggling to get those building vacated owing to court cases, protests and other technical issues.
There are near about 499 buildings which are identified as “dangerous”. In area of Andheri-Jogeshwari(West) belt in K(West)there are nearly 51 buildings which are deemed as unsafe for habitation and hazardous to society to face the season of monsoon, the number of buildings in this area tops the list. Next follows the area of Vile Parle (East) counting about 38 buildings under C1 category which needs demolition in any manner coming season.
Comparing, to last year’s record, nearly the unsafe building has dropped down to 19% which were 619 in number last year. Madhukar Magar, assistance Commissioner, removal of encroachment, stated while sharing his view, “According to survey by BMC officials, the area of Kurla in L ward always tops the list as it has maximum number of buildings which are rickety and thus many of them were demolished. This year it is found that out of list of 83 unsafe buildings 60 have been declared illegal and thus cut off from list.”
“All the dilapidated building policies are prepared as per orders by High Court. Also, BMC works according to rules laid down that if once electricity and water supply is disconnected they it is informed to police department and their only aim is safety of residents living there. There are about 50 buildings which are in state of breaking down at any moment in the old area of K (West) ward in Juhu in Mumbai. In a survey BMC have directed to do structural audit of buildings constructed for more than 30 years or older than that. In F(North) ward in area of Matunga, 30 buildings are in deteriorating state in Punjabi Colony alone, but residents have approached court,” stated by, deputy municipal commissioner, special, Nidhi Chaudhari.
In some cases, where a building requires more than 40% repair then it comes under C1 category and BMC generally advises to demolish such building because in the amount of money required for repairs, whole of building could be reconstructed.
Chaudhari is of view that, “It is very pointless in spending such huge amount on repairs, so they target to vacate the same and advise the residents to vacate them. But it is found out that mostly people refuse to vacate their place and as result of same people of 11 buildings out of 30 unsafe ones of Punjabi Colony in Matunga have moved to Supreme Court against that Bombay High Court’s demolition order.”
H (West) ward in Bandra & H (East) ward in Bandra are considered as most high profile are but has 29 & 23 unsafe buildings respectively. A ward has the least number of dangerous structures- Meher Mansion in Colaba, Kalpataru Chamber on Nanik Motwani Marg, Vasani Chambers on New Marine Lines and Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Mndai on Paltan Road.
There are total three categories in which buildings which at in deteriorating condition are classified. Along with C1, C3 is a category in which structures can be repaired to face monsoon for some more years and C2 is the category in which building need extensive structural help.
Courtesy/By: Renu Kathale
|
27 May 2019
