NMMC forcibly vacates residents from dilapidated Nerul building

The collapse of a ground-plus-four building at Shahbaz village in Belapur last week has put Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) on high alert. Civic officials are no longer taking chances in letting residents live in buildings deemed unfit for living

NAVI MUMBAI: The collapse of a ground-plus-four building at Shahbaz village in Belapur last week has put Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) on high alert. Civic officials are no longer taking chances in letting residents live in buildings deemed unfit for living.

Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation removed residents of this building to a rescue shelter after terming it as unfit for living. (HT Photo)

On Wednesday, after citing a ground-plus-two dilapidated structure in Shirwane as dangerous, NMMC got 61 residents of the building forcibly vacated by the Nerul ward office. The action followed a 24-hour notice given to the occupants on Tuesday evening.

In a joint operation, police and NMMC officials made the residents leave the premises and shifted them to a rescue shelter at Juinagar.

“During an official survey, it was found that the building was in a ruinous state and previous notices to vacate it had been ignored. The entire exterior portion of the building is covered with big cracks and green algae and chunks of concrete fall off at regular intervals. To ensure there is no repetition of a Belapur-like incident, the occupants were asked to vacate the premises, as per provisions in the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act (MRTP) Act 1966,” said municipal commissioner Kailas Shinde.

Civic administration is now checking the legality of the structure, constructed in 1992. A report has been also sought from the engineering department on whether the structure poses a threat and needs to be demolished. “As this is a very old construction, the builder has been asked to submit the relevant documents to determine the legality of the structure. Presently, the flats are sealed, and a decision on whether to demolish the structure or not is pending,” said an official from the ward office.

The building consists of 12 flats and nine out of these belong to the builder, according to the occupants. “The builder sold only 3 flats and has been leasing out the remaining flats on rent. We would regularly ask the builder to undertake repair works but he never listened. Internally, the flats were in good condition, but externally the building was in a bad state. We were compelled to vacate it as NMMC said that the structure is likely to fall apart,” said resident Feroza Khatun.