Dangerous bldgs: 65% of survey done, says MCD

New Delhi: Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) claims to have completed 64.8% of the survey of “dangerous structures” in the city and demolished two properties in east Delhi’s Kalyanpuri as part of its initiative to identify vulnerable buildings and take action against them before the monsoon.According to MCD officials, the action was taken after issuing prior notices and providing adequate time to the owners or occupiers to demolish the buildings for safety reasons.“We are conducting a survey of dangerous buildings in all 12 zones. In total, 27,66,198 are to be surveyed this year, and till June 14, the engineering department has surveyed 17,94,403, 64.8% of the target,” said an official, adding that all structures would be covered by June 30, the deadline for the survey. MCD claims to have intensified the drive to check private buildings by deploying inspection teams in all zones. “If any building is found to be dangerous, a notice is issued immediately to the owner or occupier to remove or carry out the necessary repair work, depending on the condition of the property. MCD takes strict action as per norms if the work is not done within the stipulated period,” and official said, adding that the survey was being carried out from outside as people often don’t allow officials inside. However, no information was available from MCD on the number of notices already issued. With only 10 days left in the month, the opposition has questioned the sincerity of the efforts to complete the survey and take necessary action against vulnerable buildings. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, “We are again and again emphasising on carrying out detailed surveys in Old Delhi, which have decades-old buildings with weak foundations.”Concerns have been raised that due to the excessive heat this year, structurally weak properties may have developed cracks, which may turn dangerous during the monsoon, said an official.MCD is responsible for conducting an annual survey of dangerous buildings across the city, including in approved and unauthorised colonies and villages, before the monsoon. According to estimates, the city has approximately 30-35 lakh buildings.Last Year, the building and maintenance department had inspected 30,54,130 buildings and 292 of them were identified as repairable. Eight houses were found to be in dangerous conditions, with seven of them in Rohini zone.MCD also issues annual guidelines for the inspection and repair of all municipal schools, offices, dispensaries and hospitals.
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