KMC pulls down 5-storeyed tilted building in Tiljala

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has begun to pull down a five-storeyed building on Shibtala Lane in Tiljala that got tilted and posed a serious threat to an adjacent building on October 24.

The five-storeyed (G+4) building at 11/12 Shibtala Lane got tilted and became a threat to an adjacent building as it could collapse at any moment. Twenty three families that used to stay in the affected house were shifted and the building was evacuated. Senior civic officials went to the spot and conducted a thorough inquiry. Finally, they decided to pull down the entire structure. They said inferior quality construction materials had been used to set up the structure. The building tilted from the foundation.

The conservancy workers along with senior officials went to the site and began demotion. The police cordoned off the entire area to prevent any untoward incident.

Senior civic officials said inferior construction material was used to set up the house and that has caused tilting of the entire building.

It may be recalled that after getting control over the KMC in 1985, the CPI(M) had allowed construction of high-rise buildings on bustee land and by filling up the waterbodies. Thousands of buildings came up in areas surrounding Tiljala, Topsia, Taltala and CPI(M) headquarters on Alimuddin Street. Poor quality construction materials had been used and these buildings did not have any sanctioned plan.

Similarly in Behala, Jadavpur and Garden Reach, thousands of buildings were constructed on reclaimed land. These buildings also did not have any sanctioned plan.

Senior civic officials said as the illegal buildings in central Kolkata where poor construction materials had been used are nearly 30 years old and as they have not been maintained, any accident may occur any day causing a disaster in Kolkata. These buildings have not been maintained and many of them do not have any coat of paint.