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Marie building renovation hit by delays

Tuesday, 21 December 2010 07:13 administrator
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The Hindu        21.12.2010

Marie building renovation hit by delays

Sruthisagar Yamunan
It is an important heritage structure
— Photo: T.Singaravelou

Work at the Marie building in Puducherry going on at a snail's pace.

PUDUCHERRY: Neglect on the part of the administration and delay in initiating renovation works has resulted in extensive damage to the Hotel De Ville on the Beach road, which now houses the Puducherry Municipality.

Popularly known as the Marie, the building is over 100 years old and is considered one of the most important heritage structures in the town. Last May, as a precaution, engineers belonging to Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which supervises several renovation works in the town, decided to build wooden propping and support the ceiling which had developed wide cracks.

A detailed inspection of the building was done by INTACH two years ago in association with an expert from Indian Institute of Technology-Madras and recommendations for its complete renovation were placed before the Municipality.

According to INTACH sources, the current state of the building was largely due to the neglect of their suggestions made as early as in 2004-05 when the building first started showing signs of damage. There was an immediate need to strengthen its foundation which had become weak owing to seepage of water. “If they had done the renovation then, much of the damage to the building could have been averted. Further, the cost that would be incurred in the complete renovation could have been saved.” Though works for strengthening the foundation was taken up and completed at a cost of Rs 15 lakh, very little has been done to begin the renovation. According to Chairperson of Puducherry Municipality B. Sridevi, there have been procedural delays in floating the tenders for the works though an amount of Rs 1.5 crore was sanctioned recently. The municipality is also unable to find a suitable alternate site for relocation.

“We thought of moving to the Kuber Kalyana Mandapam but the facilities there are inadequate. We are now looking at other places including our offices at Mudaliarpet as possible alternatives,” she said.

The municipality is now waiting for the PWD's sanction, which is mandatory for all projects which cost more than Rs 30 lakh. Ms. Sridevi said that once the approval is received, the council has to meet and pass a resolution for approving the entire process.

 

Paharganj guesthouses face MCD sealing

Wednesday, 15 December 2010 12:29 administrator
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Hindustan Times  15.12.2010

Paharganj guesthouses face MCD sealing
Bag packers coming to the city will have a tough time finding a place to stay in Paharganj. Reason: The MCD has identified 100-odd guesthouses in Sadar Paharganj to be sealed. The properties, which stand more than 15 meters tall, have been constructed without getting a building plan sanctioned, civic officials said.
 
According to sources, many of these buildings are structurally unsafe and have developed cracks as well. The civic agency has decided to start sealing these guesthouses from next week onwards. The sealing drive comes in the wake of Lalita Park house collapse tragedy in which 70 people were killed last month. “There are more than 100 guesthouses, which have been constructed illegally with extra floors. These are structurally unsafe and we will start taking action against them soon,” said Renu Jagdev, deputy commissioner of Sadar Paharganj zone.   According to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) after sealing the guesthouses, it will disconnect electricity and water connections as well. Sealing notices will be issued to the guesthouses identified by the MCD.  There are approximately 400 guesthouses in Sadar Paharganj. The MCD said though some of these guesthouses could have been regularized, the owners failed to come forward. Most of the guesthouses likely to face sealing action are located on DB Gupta Road, Akarshan Road, Naya Bazaar among others.  “After the Lalita Park house collapse incident, we have been checking each and every building in our jurisdiction. The buildings we have identified pose a serious threat to other buildings and people in the area. So, a decision has been taken to seal them,” said a senior MCD official.   In addition to this, guesthouses that have encroached upon public land, too, will be demolished by the MCD.  Meanwhile, the traders claimed that the sealing drive will adversely affect their business. “There are so many tourists putting up in such guesthouses, where will they go if the MCD starts sealing them? Why didn’t they take any action earlier?” said a member of the Delhi Hotel Mahasangh.  

Last month, the civic agency started sealing a number of guesthouses after owners failed to register themselves for carrying out commercial activities. The sealing drive was stalled after traders agreed to get themselves registered.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 15 December 2010 12:37
 

MMRDA to install noise barriers on 11 flyovers

Wednesday, 15 December 2010 12:28 administrator
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Hindustan Times  15.12.2010

MMRDA to install noise barriers on 11 flyovers

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has decided to install noise barriers on all the flyovers and railway overbridges that have been and will be constructed in the near future. “The decision comes in the wake of the successful installation of such noise barriers at the Bandra-Kurla Complex, which now has acceptable decibel levels of 50-55 during the day and well below 45 at night,” said Ashwini Bhide, joint metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA. The MMRDA will spend Rs 10 crore for the project.

In the first phase of the project, the flyovers that will be provided with noise barriers are Sion Hospital Junction, Hindamata Junction, Thakur Complex, Malad Junction, Santacruz Airport Junction, Navaghar Junction and Dindoshi Junction, which are open to the traffic.

The railway overbridge at Dahisar has also been opened to traffic recently and will be provided with noise barriers.

The second phase of the project will see installation of noise barriers on flyovers at King’s Circle-Tulpule Chowk, Lalbaug Junction, Barfiwalla Junction and Suman Nagar Junction, which are under construction and will be completed soon.

The Milan railway overbridge and the Sahar Elevated Road will also be provided with noise barriers because they are scheduled to be completed in 2011. The length of all the 11 flyovers, two overbridges and the Sahar Elevated Road adds up to 12,750 m.

The MMRDA will undertake a noise mapping study at all these places and will install noise barriers on stretches depending on the necessity outlined by the study.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 15 December 2010 12:29
 
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