Nearly a month after a large portion of the three-storeyed Victoria House building in Lower Parel collapsed killing two people, the civic body has decided to swing into action.
After sending the lease and ownership documents to the police to aid investigation in the case, the BrihanMumbai Muncipal Corporation (BMC) has now slapped a notice on the owner of the building to carry out a structural audit and subsequently make necessary repairs to the 115-year-old mill structure.
On December 3, two employees of JSW Ispat Steel Limited, which houses its offices in the structure, were killed after the southward portion of the building collapsed.
According to sections 353 (B) and 354 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888, the civic body can issue notices to owners of private properties if their structures are found to be dilapidated or dangerous for habitation, asking them to either remove the structure entirely or carry out structural repairs.
Eviction notices can also be issued to occupants of dilapidated buildings.
“A notice will be issued to the owner to carry out structural repairs to get the condition of the building in order. A structural audit of the building will have to be carried out by a structural engineer. If the owner or the occupants do not abide, as per the notice, the structure will have to be demolished,” said Mohan Adtani, additional municipal commissioner (island city).
Adtani added that instructions have already been issued to the assistant commissioner of G South ward to frame the notice to be sent to the owner.