MC to rebuild ‘unsafe’ bldg; may get WB funds for work

Ludhiana: The civic body is now planning to reconstruct one of its buildings located near Clock Tower which was recently marked “unsafe” by the municipal corporation (MC). The civic officials had established a night shelter here, but due to its weak structure and frequent wear and tear, the officials had decided to keep this night shelter closed last winter.
Sources revealed that the World Bank will be funding this project of the civic body, as the fund-crunched MC can’t reconstruct this building on its own. Officials revealed they’re still planning out the process for the same.
Building too worn-out
for repairs
As the building couldn’t be repaired, the MC has now planned to construct a new building at the same site where they will open a night shelter for the poor on the ground floor, and start an MC office on the upper floors for the employees.
Earlier, the night shelter used to run on the first floor here and MC had rented/leased out shops to local shopkeepers on the ground floor. The officials claimed they are still planning whether and where to relocate these shops, and that the decision would be taken by the authorities.
Shopkeepers, too, had long been demanding urgent repair of this building due to frequent accidents. In July last year, a tailor had a narrow escape when rubble from the building fell down on his sewing machine due to rain and heavy winds. In another incident, a broken glass had fallen down from the building, too.
Night shelters a dire need
The officials shared they did not allow the night shelter to operate out of this building near Clock Tower this winter because the poor conditions rendered the building “unsafe”.
As of now, there are only four night shelters in four MC zones. Apart from this one, the other shelters are at Vishwakarma Chowk, Moti Nagar and Hambran Road. Last winter, only these three night shelters were used by the poor.
Besides, out of these, only the shelter at Moti Nagar has been updated as there is a facility of folding beds here, while people have to rely only on floor bedding in the other night shelters. TOI had earlier highlighted the need for new and upgraded night shelters in the city. Besides, some other buildings of the MC are lie in poor conditions and need urgent repairs.
Project to cost over 3cr
Superintending engineer of MC, Tirath Bansal informed, “We were told to prepare an estimate for the construction of the new building and it will cost around Rs 3 crore. We have submitted the plan with senior officials.”
He confirmed the new building will have a night shelter and some of the officers might be shifted to new offices there owing to a shortage of space in existing MC offices.