Nagpur: Taking serious note of TOI report 'NMC complex ceiling in Sadar caves in' (December 19), additional municipal commissioner Ravindra Kumbhare has ordered structural audit of the ground-plus-one storey market complex.
On December 18, about five persons had a miraculous escape when a portion of the ceiling of Nagpur Municipal Corporation-owned two-storey commercial complex on Sadar Link Road caved in. The complex, constructed in 1982 with 172 shops and offices on the ground and first floor, is in a dilapidated condition.
According to structural audit policy and provisions under Section 353 (B) of the MMC Act, it is obligatory for the NMC and owners or occupants of more than 30 years old buildings to have them inspected by a qualified structural engineer registered with the NMC, get repairs done as suggested by the engineer, and submit the completion certificate along with structural fitness certificate to the corporation.
A senior officer from the NMC's market department said Kumbhare visited the complex in September this year and had expressed concern over its dilapidated condition. At that time, he had asked the NMC's public works department to conduct structural audit. Even a financial provision of Rs44,000 was made for the structural audit, but the office of chief engineer Vijay Banginwar apparently ignored the directives.
The additional municipal commissioner has actually asked the PWD and market department to complete the structural audit, even though the complex is already in bad shape.
Now, the department will conduct various tests on the dilapidated market complex, including ultrasonic pulse velocity test, rebound hammer test, and half-cell potential test. Based on the audit report, the market department may declare the complex unsafe by directing the occupants to vacate the premises immediately.
Sources, however, wondered how the NMC ignored structural audit of its own buildings when it was taking action against private buildings for not getting the same inspected.
It is not the only market owned by NMC which is in bad condition. Even the Mahatma Phule Market complex, Netaji Market, Sitabuldi Super Market and Sanjivani Complex in Sitabuldi are all in dilapidated state. Sources pointed out that along with Sadar complex, the NMC should conduct structural audit of these buildings too.
