The Kolkata Municipal Corporation [KMC], has launched a demolition drive in the city to knock down crumbling buildings that are structurally insecure, in the wake of the building collapse that took place on Shamsul Huda Road. These crumbling buildings are poised to be demolished in order to prevent any such accidents from occurring, especially before the arrival of the monsoon.
According to officials of the KMC Buildings Department, the civic agency will exercise special powers conferred on the municipal commissioner by Section 411(4) of the KMC Building Rules. The provision enables the municipal corporation to pass ‘express orders’ on the demolition of any part of a building, which is unsafe and irreparable. The aim is to take urgent action in situations that may result in loss of life due to delays.
As per reports, there has been an extensive study to identify the condition of such buildings. It has been found that nearly 300 buildings are to be considered as dangerous because of their deterioration. Of these, over 150 buildings are to be taken care of urgently, and the demolition of such buildings may start soon.
Buildings in the worst state of dilapidation are distributed over Boroughs I to IX, with a greater presence in the older and more densely populated areas like Cossipore, Burtolla, Burrabazar, Rabindra Sarani, Pathuriaghata, Beadon Street, Chittaranjan Avenue, College Street, Amherst Street, Ripon Street, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, Park Circus, Topsia, and Ballygunge. Civic officials have stated that some of these buildings have to be completely vacated to avert the risk of an accident due to heavy rainfall.
In the past years, Kolkata has experienced the collapse of more than 60 buildings deemed unsafe to reside in or pass through. There were casualties consisting of inhabitants as well as bystanders. Government officials confirmed the fact that most buildings appear to be sound but structurally weakened to a large degree inside. The occurrence at Shamsul Huda Road demonstrated the limitations of inspection done mostly on the outside.
A senior government official stated: “Engineers tend to make superficial inspections because they do not always have the opportunity to go into the building. That is making the KMC re-examine their inspection methodology and make more cautious assessments in terms of whether a building is or is not a risk.”
In a bid to deal with the opposition being experienced in the matter of displacement and rehabilitation, the KMC Buildings Department is offering incentives for reconstruction after the tearing down of buildings. Pursuant to Section 412 (A) of the KMC Building Rules, building owners who had their buildings torn down can avail themselves of extra Floor Area Ratio.
According to officials, the municipal authority will appeal to building owners to choose this form of reconstruction, noting that this alternative provides a long-lasting means of addressing safety concerns будут while ensuring the interests of tenants within the building.
The ever-growing demand for an overall renewal policy is prompted by the fact that the residents of Burrabazar, Ahiritolla, Rabindra Sarani, and Pathuriaghata have constantly made appeals to undertake emergency repairs. In most instances, the owners of the houses either could not be traced or refused to do the repairs.
With the demolition drive, KMC is trying to strike a balance between public safety and urban renewal as it lays the foundation stone for a safer and sustainable development of the old buildings of Kolkata.
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