KMC pulls down portions of 75 dilapidated structures

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has pulled down portions of 75 dangerous and dilapidated buildings.

Many of these buildings are century old and have not been repaired for ages. The parapet walls and verandahs of these house have been pulled down. This is for the first time such a venture has been undertaken by the civic authorities. Most of these structures are deserted and called 'haunted houses' by the local people.

The KMC and the Kolkata Police conducted a joint survey to identify such structures.

The KMC had earlier identified nearly 3,000 such houses in the city.

Of the 75 buildings whose portions have been pulled down, 30 are in Borough I in North Kolkata. In Borough II, portions of four buildings have been demolished while the affected portions of 24 houses have been pulled down in Borough 4 and 5, that is areas surrounding Burrabazar.

Portions of four buildings have been pulled down in Borough 6 and that of seven buildings in Borough 7. Portions of five and three buildings have been demolished in Borough 8 and 9 in South Kolkata. Portions of eight buildings have been pulled down in Borough 10 while that of three houses were pulled down in Borough 3. Portions of six buildings have been pulled down in Borough 12, one building in Borough 13 and two buildings in Borough 14, that is areas that fall under Jadavpur, Behala and Garden Reach, which are known as added areas in KMC parlance. Portions of three buildings have been pulled down in Borough 15 and two buildings in Borough 16.

Senior civic officials said monsoon poses a serious threat to the old and dilapidated buildings whose portions often collapse due to heavy showers. The rain water system in these buildings have become defunct. As a result, water gets accumulated on roofs.

The additional weight puts pressure on the pillars which are already weak due to lack of maintenance. This leads to the collapse of the affected portions.