KMC identifies 500 decrepit buildings that pose collapse risk

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is learnt to have identified around 500 dilapidated buildings out of a total of nearly 3,000 such structures which pose an immediate risk of collapse. Ever since the collapse of the Garden Reach under construction building, which was allegedly an illegal construction, killing 13 people living in the surrounding shanties, the civic body has apparently been working on a war footing to prevent any such future incidents. However, more collapses took place concerning dilapidated buildings, with the recent incident taking place at Pathuriaghata where two persons got trapped but escaped with minor injuries.

KMC has already launched a survey to identify dilapidated structures that pose an immediate risk of collapse. It is serving notices to the owners and have also been installing boards of ‘dangerous building’. However, in its quest to act against such structures, court litigations are becoming an obstacle, as per the civic body. According to KMC rules, the civic body gives notice to owners for repair work and tenants to vacate the property for safety purposes but in the end most of them end up moving the court, thus delaying the process. In the meantime, such buildings either collapse causing loss to lives and property, or continue to remain in such decrepit condition posing a risk of collapse any day.

Many citizens have complained that despite informing the civic body no structural inspection takes place. KMC officials, on the other hand, complained that whenever engineers are sent for inspection either the owner or the tenants refuse to allow them to do their work or even enter the property.

A KMC official said that it will for now demolish the vulnerable portions. “Portions facing the road will be on the top of our agenda since any collapse may lead to major accidents, injuring pedestrians and damaging cars. We hope to take these measures before the monsoon sets in,” the official said. The civic body will also take police along with them in case faced with resistance. A central demolition squad has already been placed in the KMC headquarters which will visit sites along with police from Lalbazar headquarters, it was learnt.