Kolkata: Alarmed by the sudden collapse of the staircase of a dilapidated building in a Pathuriaghata neighbourhood, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) buildings department has alerted its officials in boroughs and asked them to spot extremely vulnerable buildings and take timely action to prevent disasters during monsoon.
A survey has been conducted, and a list of such buildings will be provided to the borough executive engineers.They will be instructed to monitor these structures closely during the monsoon and, if necessary, exercise their special authority to demolish parts or entire buildings that pose a significant risk.
“We have identified around 150 buildings that pose a threat to residents and pedestrians. Of these buildings, we are keeping a vigil on over 50 buildings, parts of which need to be razed immediately," stated a KMC official.
Executive engineers in boroughs II, IV, V, VI, VII, and IX are on high alert, as over 2,500 buildings in these areas have been identified as insecure. The KMC is focusing on several dilapidated buildings in locations such as Burrabazar, Beadon Street, Bagbazar, Shyampukur, Hatibagan, College Street, Bowbazar, Sealdah, Park Circus, Ripon Street, Bhowanipore and Chetla, among others.
In 2022, more than 40 unsafe buildings collapsed across the city, resulting in casualties among residents and passers-by. The KMC aims to prevent such incidents this year by vacating extremely vulnerable buildings and demolishing century-old, structurally weak structures before the monsoon arrives.
The KMC buildings department is also providing an opportunity for owners and tenants of these buildings to reconstruct them after demolition. Under Section 412 (A), the civic body is offering extra floor area ratio to the owners of dilapidated buildings, enabling them to accommodate existing tenants.
In cases where owners or tenants refuse to accept the civic proposal, the KMC buildings department may invoke an express order under section 411 (4) of the KMC buildings rule.
This order empowers KMC to demolish any insecure parts of a dilapidated building that are beyond repair, in order to prevent loss of life.