Incidents of building and partial structure collapses resulting in loss of lives and property in the twin-city, have failed to wake up the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) from their deep slumber.
As per their annual pre-monsoon ritual, the civic administration had tagged 16 buildings in the twin-city as dangerous and unfit for human habitation following an elaborate structural audit exercise conducted by the public work’s department (PWD).
The administration had claimed that notices under the relevant sections of the BPMC Act had been issued and the concerned ward-in-charge were directed to ensure that all rickety buildings are evacuated and razed before 31, May.
However, none of the rickety structures had been demolished till Monday (30, May), exposing chinks in MBMC’s structural audit mechanism and laxity of ward officers. It has been alleged that apart from 16 identified buildings, several more structures are still out of the purview of the survey by the ward officers.
With monsoons round the corner, the fate of people living in such buildings hangs in balance. “Process has been initiated to evacuate and demolish 14 buildings as owners of two structures have moved the judiciary, thus creating legal obstacles in taking any type of coercive steps.” claimed an officer.
“Yes, the process was on to pull down the rickety structures.” said deputy municipal commissioner- Maruti Gaikwad. As per the provision of law, it is obligatory on the part of every owner and occupier of buildings, which are more than 30 years old (or have been issued notices), to have them inspected and get the corrective repairs as suggested by the structural engineer and submit the structural fitness certificate to the MBMC, failing which could invite penal action.
Notably, most of the old and dilapidated structures are 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.
