Amid their busy schedule due to the rampant spread of the novel coronavirus, officials attached to the Public Work’s Department (PWD) of the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) have tagged 13 buildings in the twin-city as being dangerous and unfit for human habitation.
Last year the figure had stood as 18.
This following an elaborate structural audit exercise launched by the civic administration. In accordance with the relevant sections of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporations Act-1949, the PWD officials had made it obligatory for owners and residents of buildings in existence for more than 30 years, to get their buildings inspected by qualified structural engineers listed on the civic panel. Subsequently, notices were issued to 1,846 structures after an extensive survey. Occupants or owners of 1043 structures responded positively and submitted the certificates after conducting recommended corrective repairs needed for structural stability.
As per information sourced from the PWD, 196 rickety structures have been demolished so far, even as 13 structures have found their place in the list of dangerous buildings this year.
While four out of the 13 rickety structures have been evacuated for demolition, the owners of three have moved the judiciary, thus creating legal obstacles in taking any type of coercive steps, informed executive engineer Deepak Khambit.
Several buildings have carried out or are in the process of getting their structures repaired as per the audit reports.
It should be noted that most of the old and dilapidated structures were on small plots which have already consumed a FSI of more than four, thus making redevelopment options difficult and non-viable under the existing permission norms.
