Sources informed that since 2010, Kanpur municipal corporation
had identified 171 buildings unsafe for living in the city. The
authorities had served notices to the dwellers of dilapidated buildings
but they continue to live.

Locals of Harbansmohal area, which
dots several dilapidated structures, are living under fear of collapse
of any structure. The way the region has been witnessing heavy rains
since past two three days, the fear is understandable.

“The
occupants have been apprised that the buildings could not be repaired
anymore and warned that these could collapse during the monsoon season.
However, no step has been taken to get the dilapidated buildings
vacated,” said Manoj, a local of the area.

Sources informed
that KMC has not conducted any fresh exercise on collecting data of
dilapidated structures. Last Friday, a major portion of a structure had
collapsed in Chamanganj.

KMC sources said that the district
authorities are contemplating a fresh survey to identify dilapidated
structures. As per 2010 records, there are only 171 houses in a
dilapidated condition in the city.

KMC official Rajiv Shukla
said: “We have instructed our team of experts comprising engineers and
other staff to launch a fresh drive to identify houses which are in a
dilapidated state.” In the past few years, notices were served to the
occupants of 171 dilapidated buildings to leave the place. “No one paid
heed to the notices,” said a source.

Sources said that there are over 1,000 dilapidated buildings in the city. Many of them may collapse any time.

The KMC sources said that most of such houses are in localities like
Harbansmohal, Moti Mohal, Canal Road, Nayaganj, Khapramohal, Rail
Bazaar, Chamanganj, Beconganj, Chowk Sarrafa, Swaroopnagar,
MCrobertsganj, Lajpatnagar, Govindnagar, Bhoosa Toli, Nawabganj,
Generalganj, Birhana Road, Ram Narain Bazaar, Coperganj, Ghantaghar,
Shivala, Colonelganj, Moolganj, Collectorganj, Meston road, Purana
Kanpur and Aryanagar.

Though the KNN has been serving notices,
occupants continue to live in dilapidated structures due to lack of
alternative arrangements. The reality is that the district authorities
do not have any foolproof plan or rehabilitation centres to relocate the
residents.

Most of the occupants belong to below poverty line
(BPL) group and cannot afford to buy new homes. “We know that the
fragile building in which we are living is almost a deathtrap. But,
then, we are poor people and can’t afford to hire a house on rent or buy
another home,” said Danish, a resident of Hoolaganj.

In many
cases, residents are also not willing to leave due to low rent. “We are
being pressurised to take some money and leave. But, who will provide us
an alternate place that too on such a cheap rent,” pointed out a
resident of a dilapidated building in the congested Moti Mohal area.

Ranvijay (name changed) and his family has been living in an old
building in Gwaltoli that had been declared dangerous by KNN. But the
family refuses to shift from the building. “We cannot forcibly make the
residents of private buildings leave. Our duty is to only serve
notices,” said a KMC official. He added: “We have sent several notices
to many such tenants living under dangerous conditions in old buildings and asked them to vacate the place. Most of them have refused on the ground that the matter is in the court.”