The Indian Express               21.06.2013

Civic body to register tenants of dilapidated wadas for rehabilitation

Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to register the tenants of dilapidated wadas to pursue their case for rehabilitation with wada owners.

After a wada collapsed on Wednesday, MNS leader Vasant More criticised the civic administration for failing to check such incidents. "There are many people living in wadas that are in bad condition. The civic body should act to save lives of citizens," said More.

Additional City Engineer Vivek Kharwadkar said the civic body has been issuing notices to citizens living in dangerous wadas to vacate, but they don't leave the wadas to protect tenancy rights.

"The PMC will now register all the tenants living in dangerous wadas and take up their case for rehabilitation with wada owners. We will try to get assurance from the owners to rehabilitate them. This might encourage them to vacate these wadas and move to safe places," he said. Kharwadkar said the civic administration has pulled down 39 wadas so far and the action would continue.

"The civic body will also take up the issue with the state government and try to find a permanent solution ," he said.

The Shiv Sena has demanded the civic body provide temporary shelter to those living in dilapidated wadas and they can return once the owners redevelop the property.

Meanwhile, PMC is planning legal action against the developer of the property where a wall collapse near Dandekar bridge killed three persons . The developer failed to reply to the showcause notice issued to him by the civic body.