‘Unsafe’ tag riles residents of JVPD building
On Monday, police visited Hem Niketan and warned residents that water supply would be disconnected within three days if the building was not evacuated
Mumbai: Residents of Hem Niketan – a ground plus seven storied residential building in JVPD, Vile Parle West – are up in arms over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) efforts to demolish their building. The civic body says the building falls under the C1 category and needs to be evacuated immediately, but the residents claim that it is in C2A category, requiring only partial evacuation and major structural repairs to extend its life.
On Monday, police visited Hem Niketan and warned residents that water supply would be disconnected within three days if the building was not evacuated. Later in the day, residents visited the buildings and factories department of the BMC’s K West ward to submit the report of a second structural audit but were told that the time frame for the same had lapsed.
“The official told us the demolition cannot be stopped as the window for submitting a second audit report had passed. But preparing the report took time, and we got it only on April 19,” said Harshad Gandhi, who visited the BMC office on Monday.
“The BMC cannot just bulldoze through when there is a chance that it can be salvaged without demolition,” said Utsal Karani, another resident of Hem Niketan. He likened the two different reports about the structural status of the building to two differing reports on a person’s health, saying. “The BMC is insisting the person still be taken to a crematorium.”
Hem Niketan was constructed as a ground plus three storied building around 55 years ago, while four more floors were added around 25 years ago, taking the total number of apartments in the building to 20. Residents said till 2023, they were in talks with the landlord, who is also a builder, for its redevelopment.
“Everyone had agreed for redevelopment, and we were discussing minute details with the landlord. But this year, we suddenly got a notice from the BMC saying the building needs to be demolished,” said a resident, requesting anonymity.
On February 23, BMC sent a notice to the residents saying a structural audit by Evolute Engineers and Consultants had found the building was in C1 category. Residents were given 15 days to vacate the premises or appoint another structural engineer, in case they disagreed with the audit.
Ten of the 16 families residing in the building chose the second option. By March 11, they chose Sardar Patel College of Engineering as the auditor. Two of the residents contributed ₹3 lakh towards the cost of conducting the audit.
On March 16, the BMC sent Hem Niketan residents another a notice under Section 354 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888, asking them to vacate the structure within seven days. “The structure is in ruinous condition, likely to fall down and be dangerous to any occupying resident or passing by such building,” it read.
“The BMC has constantly been sending us notices to vacate the building, despite us informing them that we get getting a second opinion on the structural audit as we don’t agree with the first, as is well within our rights,” said Utsal Karani, a resident of the building.
“The builder wants us out of the building without an agreement or proper procedure, so that we are at his mercy when it comes to the terms of redevelopment,” said another resident, requesting anonymity.
An official from the K West ward echoed residents’ experience at the ward office. “As per the standard operating procedure, the occupants failed to produce the structural audit report within the time limit. More than two months have passed since the C1 notice, hence the C2A report cannot be considered at this stage, and it will be rejected,” the official said.