42 unsafe buildings on MC radar

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 11

Old and unsafe buildings in the city are posing a threat to residents as these may collapse anytime in event of heavy rain during the monsoon.

The Municipal Corporation of Bathinda (MCB) has conducted a survey and has identified 42 unsafe buildings.

The survey has been conducted by the MCB’s building branch. Most of these unsafe buildings are residential.

Now, MC officials are planning to send the list of unsafe buildings to its B&R wing, which will see from technical point of view whether these building can be repaired or not and will file its report.

The MCB has also planned to serve notices on the owners of these buildings and asked them either to get these repaired or vacate them and move to a safe place.

Senior Town Planner (STP) Kamaljit Kaur said, “We have conducted a new survey of the unsafe buildings in the city and around 42 such buildings have been identified. Now, we will send the list to the B&R wing, which will technically assess it further.”

However, a number of such buildings have collapsed due to rain in the past years and claimed many lives across the state and country. In spite of this, the MCB has not taken any preventive measure prior to the monsoon season this year.

Many such buildings are located in Udham Singh Nagar, Sirki Bazaar, Sadar Bazaar, Mall Godam road area and in the old city near Quila Mubarak.

In case of most such structures in the city, there is also the trouble of getting the tenants to vacate the buildings.

Since the ground floor of a majority of these buildings accommodates shops, the shopkeepers refuse to vacate these before the buildings can be demolished.

Another factor, which is stopping the owners of such buildings from demolishing them, is the emotional connect as the buildings were handed down to them by their forefathers.

The MCB would also check the area near the Quila as its people have complained that its outer structure is crumbling and could lead to a major incident during heavy rains. Many houses are situated close to the huge structure.

Plan to serve notices

• The MCB has also planned to serve notices on the owners of these buildings and asked them either to get these repaired or vacate them and move to a safe place. 

• Many such buildings are located in Udham Singh Nagar, Sirki Bazaar, Sadar Bazaar, Mall Godam road area and in the old city near Quila Mubarak.

• In case of most such structures in the city, there is also the trouble of getting the tenants to vacate the buildings.

• The MCB would also check the area near the Quila as its people have complained that its outer structure is crumbling. Many houses are situated close to the huge structure