Kankurgachi: 6, including 2 kids, injured as part of dilapidated building caves in

Kolkata: Six persons, including two children, were injured when a portion of an old dilapidated building caved in at Kankurgachi on Saturday morning. A huge chunk from the old building suddenly fell and landed on the roof of an adjacent one-storied house. As many as six people were inside the house during that time, and all of them sustained injuries. The two children and their mother suffered serious injuries and have been admitted to Maniktala ESI Hospital. The others were released after first aid. It is learnt that the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) had issued a ‘dangerous building’ notice for the old structure long ago.

Heavy rainfall over the past week has caused at least half a dozen old buildings in the city to cave in. All of these structures had previously been served ‘dangerous building’ notices by the KMC. “It’s unfortunate that people continue to live in dangerous buildings, putting their lives at risk. We have begun issuing occupancy certificates to tenants of such buildings, guaranteeing their right to return once the structure is demolished and rebuilt. Despite this assurance, many remain hesitant to vacate, fearing the loss of their living rights. While we strongly urge residents to move out of unsafe buildings, we have no authority to forcibly evict them,” said Hakim. The chances of collapse of dilapidated buildings in the city go up during the monsoon. When it rains, the rainwater is stored on the roof, resulting in an increase in the weight of the building. The weak foundation, being unable to bear the additional weight, collapses.