Mumbai: To avoid any human tragedy, the Mumbai Building Repairs and Reconstruction Board (MBRRB), an undertaking of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), has decided to demolish dangerous structures as soon as it is vacated.
The decision is under the consideration stage currently. Vinod Ghosalkar, the MBRRB chairman, told the ‘Free Press Journal’, "Learning from the past mistakes, I am planning to propose this policy in the next authority meeting. It will also avoid the possible danger to the nearby or adjacent buildings."
The move has come after a portion of Yousuf building located in Crawford market collapsed on Tuesday night. As a precautionary measure, the Mumbai Fire Brigade also vacated the adjacent Dwarkadas building. Besides, currently, there is no such specific time limit to carry out the demolition after the building is declared dangerous. A
lso, due to a handful of residents posing resistance and refusing to move out of the dangerous structures, the eviction delays. Taking cognisance of the issue, the MBRRB officials are planning to shorten the time gap of demolition.
It means, buildings declared dangerous and are vacated or two-three families, who are forcefully occupying their houses (usually the case) henceforth, they will be evicted and the demolition will be hastened.
In Mumbai, there are more than 15,000 cess buildings. Of the buildings which are declared dangerous annually before the monsoon by the MBRRB, a policy decision for demolition will be taken, said Ghosalkar.
