Nashik District Collector Orders Pre-Monsoon Structural Audits of Buildings

District Collector Jalaj Sharma has instructed the Nashik and Malegaon Municipalities, as well as other municipal bodies, to conduct immediate structural audits of buildings deemed dangerous to prevent accidents during the monsoon season.

The monsoon has entered the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and is expected to arrive on time in Nashik and the rest of the state. In preparation, pre-monsoon work across the district has accelerated. Every year, the rainy season highlights the issue of dangerous buildings in Nashik city and rural areas, with the risk of such structures collapsing and causing fatalities. As a precaution, the administration issues notices to the residents and owners of these properties. With the Meteorological Department predicting a good monsoon this year, proactive measures are being taken to prevent accidents involving collapsing buildings.

Sharma said that there is a need for planning to relocate citizens from the banks of the Godavari River, which tends to overflow during the monsoon. In areas like Kazigadhi in Old Nashik, where potential danger is higher, efforts should be made to evacuate citizens in advance. The municipalities and Nagar Panchayats have been directed to issue notices and conduct audits of old buildings, dilapidated mansions, and bridges before the monsoon season begins.

In Nashik city and its surrounding areas, there are 1,198 identified dangerous buildings, houses, and old mansions. The Municipal Corporation has clarified that residents of these properties will be notified to vacate. Should residents refuse, the buildings will be vacated with the assistance of the police under Urban Planning Act 268, according to the municipality administration.