Not token job, raze illegal bldgs to make them uninhabitable: KMC
Times of India | 9 April 2025
Kolkata: The KMC buildings department will have to properly raze illegal structures instead of doing a symbolic job by punching holes in the roof that can then be repaired. A circular from municipal commissioner Dhaval Jain's office last week made it clear that instead of a customary demolition, the KMC will need to ensure a complete structural demolition.
"In some instances, the demolition carried out under Sec 400 (8) of the KMC Act, 1980, is limited to making holes in the ceiling, which does not render the structure uninhabitable. This defeats the purpose of the demolition order and allows unauthorized occupation to continue," the circular states.
The circular stresses complete structural removal, meaning the demolition must be comprehensive. The municipal commissioner said load-bearing columns, pillars and beams must be removed to ensure the structure could not be reoccupied. All ceilings and floors must be dismantled, rendering the building uninhabitable.
The buildings department would have to engage an engineer, under whose supervision the demolition should be carried out, said the circular. "Buildings officials in boroughs should prepare to take action under the new guidelines," said a KMC official. —Saikat Ray