KMC begins demolition of tilted ‘illegal construction’ in Baghajatin

Kolkata: A day after the alleged illegal construction in Vidyasagar Sagar Colony in the Baghajatin area tilted to one side following a collapse of its ground floor during lifting work, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) began demolishing the structure on Wednesday.

An engineer of the KMC who was at the spot during the demolition work said that the building structure is fine since it just tilted but did not collapse entirely. “There is no issue of soil subsidence. Here, the building’s columns were cut. Such an exercise can be done in relation with two to three-storied buildings but it is risky for this kind of structure. We do not know if such exercises have ever been undertaken before. The building’s load could not be maintained due to cutting of the columns during the

lifting work. This led to the tilting to one side,” he said. Mayor Firhad Hakim said: “We have already simplified laws for obtaining sanction against building plans. In several

colony areas, building plans are not being submitted for obtaining sanction. Buildings which have already been constructed long ago, we are telling them to get the structure examined by engineers for stability. Upon submission of stability certificates, we will give sanction to those buildings”.

“We have directed that in case of new constructions, the KMC will give sanction within 15 days upon submission of building plans. We request all not to indulge in unauthorised constructions,” Hakim added.

The Mayor said that engineers have been directed to conduct thorough surveys. Such surveys will take note of constructions taking place in areas under all 144 wards. Senior engineers will then review the same and take action accordingly. He further pushed the blame for illegal constructions in the colony area on the shoulders of the erstwhile Left-Front government. He said KMC cannot in one day vacate an illegally-constructed building for demolition where people have shifted in years ago. The construction of the building began around 2009-10. The building had been partially demolished late on Tuesday night to prevent further risks. An FIR was filed in the Netaji Nagar Police Station against eight flat owners, developer Subhas Roy, who is said to be on the run and Abhishek Nagra, owner of the Nagara Building Construction Pvt Ltd which was carrying out the lifting work allegedly without

any permission.

It was learnt that the building has eight flats. Six were sold while two were with developer Subhas Roy, according to locals. Roy had rented out one of the two flats.