BMP's plan on old buildings yet to take off

By Afshan Yasmeen

BANGALORE, AUG. 17. Almost a year after the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) announced that owners of buildings which were more than 40 years old should obtain a structural soundness certificate, it is yet to initiate the process of making the rule mandatory.

Neither a circular has been issued nor have the zonal engineers been directed to conduct a survey of the old buildings.

``It is just a proposal and to enforce it, the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (KMC) Act has to be amended. A similar provision exists in the Brahunmumbai Corporation Act. It can't be enforced without an amendment to the Act,'' official sources said.

Following a spate of building collapses due to incessant rains in the City, the former BMP Commissioner, Mr. K.Jairaj, had announced last year that owners of all buildings that were 40 years old should obtain a structural soundness certificate.

Citizens were given 60 days time, starting from November 1 last year to secure the certificate from authorised engineers, architects, valuers and surveyors and submit it to the BMP.

``We will insist that owners secure a structural soundness certificate. All such buildings whose certificates are not submitted to the BMP within the stipulated time and all those found to be unsafe for human habitation will be demolished,'' Jairaj had said.

He had also announced that an internal committee would be set up to study and propose guidelines on the action to be taken with respect to dilapidated buildings, both private and public.

But, unfortunately neither has the committee been constituted nor has the BMP warned owners or occupants of buildings in a dilapidated condition to demolish or repair them.

``Several buildings in old Bangalore, including Chickpet, Akkipet, Tharagupet, Nagarathpet, Mamulpet and surrounding localities have developed cracks. Such buildings should be identified and declared as `unsafe' in the interest of the citizens,'' said the ruling party leader in the BMP Council, Mr. P.R. Ramesh.

Admitting that the BMP had not initiated the process of identifying old buildings, he said the KMC Act provided for a survey of ``unsafe'' buildings.

While official sources claim that the Act has to be amended to enforce the proposal, Section 338 of the KMC Act states that the BMP Commissioner can apply to the Standing Committee on Town Planning to prohibit the use of any residential building, which is found to be unfit for human habitation.

``Most of the building collapses reported so far are because of their location. Bangalore is a city of lakes and tanks and there are several buildings that have come up on tank beds. But, a survey of old buildings will definitely help,'' Mr. Ramesh said.

He said the issue would be discussed at length at the next BMP Council meeting. ``We may even adopt a resolution to facilitate the survey of `unsafe' buildings,'' he added.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : 10 irrigation projects to be commissioned soon
Next     : For BMP website, Consul is still the Commissioner