The Indian Express 11.12.2013
BMC begins razing its 40-year-old Byculla building
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) began the demolition
process for one of its buildings in the Baburao Jagtap Market, Byculla,
Tuesday. The ground-plus-three structure — New 80 Tenements or Building
Number 2 — is 40 years old. The dilapidated building houses around 40
families of conservancy workers.
The civic body disconnected water and electricity supply for the
building. Close to 170 officials from the civic body and around 200
personnel from the Agripada police station were present at the site. The
demolition process started around 12.30 pm.
“We had sent a notice to the residents and provided them
alternative accommodation at Mahul,” said Assistant Municipal
Commissioner Sanjog Kabare from E ward.
A structural audit for the building was done in 2010, after which
repair works were initiated. However, a recent survey by the planning
and development department of the BMC declared the building as
dilapidated and dangerous to live in. “As the residents were refusing to
leave, we started by disconnecting the water and electricity supply.
Further demolition will be undertaken once the residents are re-located
to Mahul,” Kabare added.
Following the Dockyard Road building collapse, which claimed 61
lives in September, the civic body had decided to carry out structural
audits of 86 buildings which house over 6,000 conservancy workers.
Last week, the BMC began the demolition process for four of its
own 80-year-old buildings which are part of the BIT Chawl or Mazgaon
co-operative housing society. The 1,000 residents of the four buildings
were also to be re-located to Mahul.