Nagpur: Apathy on part of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) in dealing with dilapidated structures is increasing the risk for occupants and it may any day trigger a major disaster in the city. A glimpse of what lays in store if rains intensify, was seen on Wednesday after crumbling walls collapsed at three different places. All the three incidents occurred in densely populated areas of Gandhibagh Zone in the aftermath of incessant heavy rains in the city for the last few days.
As per reports, it was a lucky escape for two persons as they moved away in a nick of time or else there would have been an emergency situation on Wednesday. The civic body has already identified around 300 structures that have outlived their utility. Yet, no concrete action is forthcoming from NMC due to various reasons, one particular being dragging their feet by field officials.
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In many cases, due to sympathy factors, Zonal officials are not completing the process needed to give permission for taking down the unsafe structures. Nor the senior officials are keeping tab on progress achieved on reducing the number of dilapidated structures to rule out any last minute emergency. As per process, the Enforcement Department needs to be given the nod by respective Zonal bosses after identifying structures that are dangerous and can collapse any time.
At many places, as residents do not have any other alternate place to reside hence they continue to take calculated risk and stay put in dilapidated structures. One such place is Model Mill Chawl where the condition of houses is precarious and they could collapse any day. Yet, residents do not want to vacate the place for fear of losing claim to a redevelopment project that has failed to materialise due to apathy of public representatives.
Meanwhile, after the wall at three places collapsed, the Enforcement Department attended the spot and demolished the dilapidated structures. First call was from Jamia Arbia Madarsa located at Naal Sahab Square whose wall in the back portion fell down on the house of Chinteshwar Wanjari. The debris damaged the household articles and fortunately no one was present at the affected spot today.
The second spot where the wall collapsed was the residence of Manjula Admane in Shivaji Nagar Area of Mahal. Here, too, the Enforcement Department later demolished the remaining structure. In the third place, the civic body team pulled down an old and crumbling structure on Naik Road, Mahal.
