Show-cause notices issued to owners of 6 old, decrepit buildings in Central Kolkata

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has for the first time issued show-cause notices to six owners of old dilapidated buildings in Central Kolkata asking them to explain why action should not be taken against them for not repairing their houses.

The old structures in Central Kolkata have not been maintained for over 50 years.

The KMC will wait for 15 days for their answers failing which, the houses will be declared as condemned.

Even after buildings were declared condemned, the owners and tenants risked their lives by continuing to stay in them.

The new The Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act has empowered the civic authorities to auction old and dangerous buildings, which the owners refuse to repair and get reconstructed with space for the owners and tenants. In such cases, the builders will get more Floor Area Ratio (FAR).

The KMC has launched a massive campaign urging owners of 40-year-old and older buildings to get their houses examined by empanelled structural engineers and get them repaired. If they fail to repair the structures, the KMC will take action.

Senior civic officials said that there are over 2,000 buildings in the city that have not been repaired for at least 50 years. Most of these houses are tenanted and as the tenants pay meager rents, thus, the owners are unable to maintain them.

There are many houses in North and South Kolkata where the tenants pay less than Rs 100 monthly as rent.

The new Act will protect rights of the owners and the tenants living in old buildings and ensure their safety provided the owners and tenants come forward and cooperate with the civic authority for a workable solution.

"If the owners and tenants cooperate with KMC, then within the next few years, there will not be any condemned or dangerous buildings in the city as they will be pulled down to make room for new structures," civic officials said.

Most of the old buildings in the city are situated in Boroughs 2, 4, 5 and 9.

Meanwhile, portions of an old building on Burtola Street collapsed on August 15. Two people were injured. The building has not been maintained for decades. The staff of KMC's Conservancy department removed the debris. The injured persons were taken to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital where they were treated.