Mumbai: BMC list marks 407 dilapidated structures; illegal ones not included

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Every year before monsoon the BMC publishes a list of dilapidated structures in the city and asks residents to vacate them. Even after this, many tenants continue to stay in these buildings. According to the BMC, at present there are 407 dilapidated buildings in the city, which include 424 private structures, 57 under the civic body's jurisdiction and 26 government buildings.

After the civic body issues the list, it takes action by cutting off electricity and water supply but even after that, some tenants refuse to vacate the structures and approach the high court to secure stay orders. Of the 407 dilapidated buildings, 90 per cent is from last year's list.

Last year, the HC vacated the stay order on 23 such buildings and the BMC took action against most of them. "But, around 73 cases are still in court. The BMC cannot take action against these buildings. 18 buildings have been proffered to the Technical Advisory Committee. Of the rest, 107 buildings have been vacated, tenants are staying in 112 buildings. We have cut the electricity and water connections in the other buildings as per procedure," said Anant Bhagwatkar, assistant commissioner of the Removal of Encroachment department. Out of the 26 government buildings mentioned in the list, 25 are from Punjab Colony, GTB Nagar. Out of the 57 buildings under BMC's jurisdiction, 18 are from the Park Site Colony, Vikhroli.

The maximum number of dilapidated buildings - 49 - is from H West ward. The N ward has 47 dilapidated buildings. The K West and K East wards have 70 such structures. The P north and T wards have 25 and 35 dilapidated structures respectively. B ward has only one such structure, while L ward has 13, M East two and H East 18. In Kurla, there were 103 dilapidated buildings in 2018, but the number reduced to 23 after the BMC made two separate lists - one of dilapidated buildings and another of illegal structures. "There are many illegal shanties, but they are not included in the dilapidated structures list. The BMC issues notices to them under Section 351 (unauthorised structures) instead of section 354 (dilapidated structures). But people from these buildings, too, go to court, delaying the demolition process," said a BMC official.