Kolkata municipal corporation to adopt an eviction strategy for decrepit structures

The two-story building on Ahiritola Street that partly collapsed on Wednesday morning resulted in the deaths of two people. Nine years ago, the building was designated as ‘hazardous,’ but no action was taken to get it demolished and restored to safety.

According to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation statistics, there are at least 3,000 structures in the city that are deemed ‘hazardous’ by the authorities. An official said that about one hundred of them are in “very distressed condition.”

After every fatality caused by the collapse of a structure of this kind, additional stickers with the term ‘Dangerous’ are placed on the remaining buildings, and the police issue loudspeaker advertisements warning people to evacuate the area.

The majority of the hazardous structures are located in the northern and central areas of Kolkata, and they are mostly inhabited by renters. When the KMC labels a building as “hazardous,” it also provides the owner with a notice, which acts as a license to begin repair work on the structure.

Concerning the Ahiritola building, the police said that it wasn’t until Wednesday evening that they were able to make contact with the owner.

Notice to dilapidated buildings

As a result, “the notice for all such dilapidated buildings states that the parts that are irreparable should be demolished and the remainder restored,” according to a city official.

The repairs and demolition must be carried out under the supervision of a structural engineer who has been appointed to the project. The KMC website has a list of structural engineers who have been appointed as well as their phone numbers. Additionally, the list may be obtained through the KMC’s building department.

According to sources inside the municipal government, however, the owners of the majority of the decrepit structures prefer to turn a blind eye to the situation. Because the rent the renters pay is so little, it is costly to maintain the property.

“These dilapidated structures are typically occupied by a large number of tenants who each pay a pittance in rent. The owners do not want to do any repairs since the rent they get does not cover the costs of the repairs that they will have to pay for. We have no authority to evict anybody from their home”. According to a municipal engineer, “They are concerned that they will be forced from their houses if they move out only once.”

The cops said they were powerless. “All we can do is ask them (the building’s inhabitants) to leave since the building is in jeopardy.” “We do not have the authority to use force,” a Lalbazar police officer said.

Firhad Hakim visit

On Wednesday morning, Firhad Hakim, the chairman of the KMC’s board of administrators, paid a visit to Ahiritola to see how things were going. Among the modifications to the KMC building codes that were implemented a few years ago was the ability to demolish failing houses and erect new ones in their stead.

According to Hakim, “we are granting relaxations to the owners of ancient buildings in order for the decaying structures to be destroyed and new ones to be built in their stead.” According to Section 142 of the KMC’s construction regulations, existing structures that have numerous tenants are permitted to add extra space if a new structure is constructed on the site.

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