Pre-monsoon survey: Mhada tells residents to vacate 9 dangerous buildings in Mumbai

Mumbai city news: All the structures are over 50 years old and are in a dilapidated shape. They are hardly maintained by landlords and while tenants say that it is beyond their means to take care of the structure.

The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) has declared nine buildings in the city as extremely dangerous structures in its annual pre-monsoon survey and have asked its residents to vacate immediately.

These structures are over 50 years old and house 500 units of which 247 are residential and the rest are commercial. (HT file photo)

These structures are over 50 years old and house 500 units of which 247 are residential and the rest are commercial.

Maharashtra housing minister Ravindra Waikar who released the list said that the tenants residing in these dangerous buildings need to vacate the place within a week. “We will first request them to shift out but if they remain adamant, we will have to force them out. We cannot allow them to die there,” said Waikar.

Of the nine structures named this year, six buildings like Esplanade Mansion at Fort, Building No 46-60 at Lucky Mansion (Clare Road), 44-46Kazi Street, 208-220 Kazi Street, 39-Chowpatty Sea Face and 55-57 Nagdevi Cross Road have been repeated from last year’s list.

Mhada officials claimed that these buildings have outlived their utility and are being supported by iron bars propped to support them. While the authority makes provisions for these residents to shift to transit camps, they are usually reluctant to move out because they are not sure whether they can return to their own homes or offices once it is redeveloped.

The residents’ fears are not unfounded as, according to sources, there are people who have been living in transit accommodations since 1970’s. Their buildings were not allowed to be redeveloped because of various reasons. They fell prey to either road widening projects, were reserved as recreation grounds or were stuck in litigation.

There are currently 14,375 structures in Mumbai that were constructed before 1969 and are in bad shape, said an official from Mhada.