Did zones misreport figures on dangerous buildings to NMC?

Nagpur: Gandhibagh and Satranjipura zones may have submitted misleading information about dilapidated structures to NMC headquarters. Data available with NMC HQ shows Satranjipura zone reported only 10 dilapidated structures, while Gandhibagh zone has 14. However, information released to activist Amar Nagpal under RTI Act by the zones revealed Santranjipura zone has 37 ramshackle structures while Gandhibagh zone has 16.

TOI on Tuesday visited many localities in the old city area. While most of the buildings reported to NMC are in Itwari, Gandhibagh, Mahal, Dhantoli, Sadar etc, there are many other unsafe buildings in both zones that are not listed in the papers with NMC.

TOI found a 117-year-old building on Dharaskar Road, Itwari, in a dilapidated state, but Gandhibagh zone is yet to include this in the list of ramshackle structures.

According to Nagpal, the number of unsafe buildings in this part of the city is certainly far more than the figures provided by the zone offices. The officials may wake up after an accident, he said.

The lack of an expert team to demolish ramshackle structures also came to fore in the ongoing NMC drive to demolish a ground plus three storey building on Dharaskar Road, Itwari. The anti-encroachment squad of NMC had begun razing the structure on August 20, but has not completed even half the work.

During TOI visits to few localities in Itwari and Sadar areas, it was apparent that NMC has elected to close its eyes to the issue. There is no mechanism in place to identify or mark such buildings, even though it is clear that chances of fatalities are high if an unsafe building collapses in the monsoon season.

The slow pace of demolition of the structure has also enraged neighbours at the current site. One of the neighbours, Dr Mitesh Baheti, said the demolition drive has actually damaged his building. Three shopkeepers nearby have had to keep their shops closed since last one month.

A senior NMC official admitted that the demolition of dilapidated and dangerous structures like this building requires experts, who can finish the work without any casualty or posing a threat to nearby buildings. However, NMC does not have sufficient staff to work on all dilapidated structures at the moment, and therefore, there is delay in taking action.