Be aware and alert during building repair works

Badrinath building in Khar West

A 12-storey building in Khar West was targeted by a thief recently. A report in this paper outlined how this habitual offender, as the police described him, gained access to a couple of flats in the building through climbing the scaffolding.

A scaffolding was in place and the thief climbed with the help of the bamboo poles, entering at least three flats before he was caught. He took a couple of possessions like a mobile phone, a watch, a wallet, but he was caught by the police.

The story had some takeaways for residential societies. One has to be extra cautious when scaffolding encases a building for painting or repairs. We will see a lot of buildings get work done now as COVID-19 had put these necessary repairs or restoration on the backburner. Housing societies will also be keen to finish pending work, that began pre-pandemic, before the monsoon. Labour also seems to be back in the cities now, and that is one more reason that we may see buildings sheathed in bamboo poles. Take extra precautions keeping windows encased with grills and windows closed when scaffolding encircles a structure.

Housing societies must have good CCTV surveillance, especially at entrances and exits, with clear footage and good visibility. Sometimes, buildings have an entrance missed out or not covered by cameras. Ensure that the surveillance is all-round.

It is unfortunate that security personnel are often napping or inattentive at night. We need society office-bearers to impress upon them that negligence may cost them their jobs.

This building residents and security blew whistles organised for them, to draw attention and warn others that something is amiss. The shrill sound piercing the early morning hours was an effective alert. Think about all safety aspects and know that you are slightly more vulnerable at repair time. Awareness not alarm is key.