2 Baguiati houses on ‘filled-up pond’ lean onto each other
Times of India | 24 January 2025
12 Kolkata: Among the multiple tilting structures being reported from different parts of the city were two four-storey houses in Baguiati that were found leaning onto each other. Neighbours alleged both the buildings were constructed by illegally filling up a water body at Jagatpur Netaji Palli in Baguiati in BMC Ward 23.
Local BMC councillor Jhunku Mondal has submitted a letter to the BMC commissioner, urging the civic authorities to address the issue urgently as the structures posed risk to the lives of residents. BMC officials said the next course of action and legal measures would be decided following an inspection.
During a visit to the spot, TOI found that the buildings were separated by a few feet at the ground level but they almost touched each other near the top floors. Shampa Ghosh, who owns one of the houses, said the land was bought around eight years ago and that a one-storey house was built initially. "The three more floors were added over the past three years after Covid," she said. Mithun Kar, owner of the other house, did concede that it was a low-lying land, where he built the houses three years ago. "It was after last monsoon that we found the house slightly tilting," he said.
BMC officials said the civic body had been conducting regular inspections to check illegal constructions. "Special teams conduct inspections whenever there are complaints of pond-filling and illegal constructions," said an official.
BMC mayor Krishna Chakraborty said, "The local councillor alerted me and our engineers were sent. The engineers have submitted a report to the commissioner. Based on the report, the owners of the houses will be called within three days. Steps will be taken according to the law."