Indicating the need for better urban reconstruction and renewal, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis admitted that there were around 700 old and dilapidated buildings in Mumbai.
In a reply to a question by Raj Purohit (BJP- Colaba) in the state legislative assembly on Tuesday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said a survey by the BMC in April 2018 detected the city has 688 old and dilapidated buildings in the 'C-1' category.
Fadnavis added that under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888, a total of 121 of these buildings were demolished and 112 were evacuated. The BMC also sent 37 cases to the technical advisory committee and the water and electricity connections were cut off in 118 cases. The issue of 167 buildings is sub-judice.
The state later instructed the BMC commissioner to take complete action against 133 of these buildings. In October-end, 42 more buildings were demolished and 62 of these structures were evacuated. For the remaining 29 buildings, the BMC is working of cutting power and water supply and floating tenders for their demolition.
The tenants and residents of 167 BMC-owned buildings have been shifted elsewhere by the civic body and the owners of private buildings have to take responsibility for their tenants.
In a written reply to a question by Jitendra Avhad (NCP- Mumbra Kalwa) and others, Fadnavis said the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) had detected 4,705 dangerous buildings in 2018-19. Of these, 95 were in the C-1 or extremely dangerous category, needing immediate demolition, 114 in C-2A needing evacuation and structural repairs, 2,260 in C-2B (structural repairs when they are occupied) and 2,236 require minor repairs. Of the 95 buildings in the C-1 category, 84 have been evicted and 23 have been demolished. The work on demolishing 64 buildings and evacuating 11 is underway.
The TMC has asked those concerned to undertake structural audits of buildings in the C-2A, C-2B and C-3 category. So far, 2,570 residents have been accommodated in rental scheme buildings.
