Situated just besides the railway track which connects Chembur and Govandi, Pandurang Bhavan has been declared as dangerous by the BMC. The ground-plus-one structure has several shops that range from clothes to jewellery, and an eatery is also situated on its ground floor.
Pandurang Bhavan was constructed nearly six decades ago and is now in a bad shape. The BMC M-west ward has pasted a demolition and eviction notice at the entrance of the building. Tenants have also agreed to go in for redevelopment.
What residents say:
“The building is actually not that dangerous that it might fall any time. It is in a condition wherein some major repairs can be carried out,” said a jewellery shop owner.
The owner of the shop below this building said, "But now most of us have agreed to redevelopment. In fact now the developer, who also happens to be the landlord of this building has applied for an Intimation of Disapproval (IOD) to the BMC."
Notably, an IOD is an important authorisation given to a developer by the BMC to redevelop an existing structure.
Another shop owner, Bhavesh Waghela, who runs a ladies tailor shop for more than 40 years in the building, said that all the tenants are just waiting for the sanction of the IOD.
"My shop has been here from last four decades or more. Now that the building has been declared a dangerous one, we all unanimously agreed to let it go for redevelopment. The developer has agreed to give us shops in the redeveloped structure that's what we wanted," Waghela said.
When asked if the IOD has been sanctioned or not, civic officials from the M West ward informed that the same is pending and that the file would be cleared soon.
What pedestrians say:
Amid all this, it is the lives of the citizens in and around the building that is at risk.
"Several people use the foot over bridge (FOB) which is adjoining the building's wall. There are hundreds of customers in the liquor shop daily along with the ones in other shops. Thankfully the restaurant has been shut for the time being. But yes, there's a rickshaw stand outside this structutre, hawkers, vendors etc. In fact, at a given point of time hundred of lives are at risk since they are around it," said Sunil Singh, a daily commuter, who uses the FOB near Pandurang Bhavan.
The owner cum developer wasn't available for comment despite attempts to reach out.
