Mumbai: BMC to demolish three more wings in compound of Naik Nagar Society in Kurla east

BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will demolish three more wings in the compound of Naik Nagar Society in Kurla east which are in dilapidated condition. BMC has decided to demolish this building after ground plus three storey's part collapsed on Monday night wherein 19 people have died and 14 injured. There are four wings on the premises among them the portion of the D wing collapsed on Monday night.

BMC has pulled down the remaining part of the D wing which was tilted after the incident as precautionary measures.

In 2013, BMC had declared the structure dilapidated. BMC officers had said that During 2014 to 2015 BMC had issued notice to demolish the building. We had also cut water and electricity. In 2016, residents brought a structural auditor's report that was saying the building can be repaired and allowed to stay. After the report, BMC had to restore their electricity and water supply and put the building under the C2B category.

Mahadev Shinde, assistant municipal commissioner of the ‘L’ ward of Kurla said that all the adjoining buildings have been evacuated by the civic authorities on Tuesday morning and the occupants were relocated. Shinde said that all the residents in the building were living on rent and BMC will formally issue a notice to the owners of the building before initiating the demolition process as it is important to follow the legal procedures.

“The remaining buildings will be pulled down as a precautionary measure to avert similar events in the future. All the remaining three buildings are in a dilapidated state," said Shinde.

“We have prepared record residents that were living in these buildings so that we can check with them about their belongings before initiating the demolition works," said Shinde.

Meanwhile, BMC officials said that the civic body doesn’t have any provision to provide accommodation to residents who stayed in privately owned dilapidated structures.

“We can arrange for a transit camp in civic schools or halls, but we haven’t received any official request for this,” said Shinde.