No Result
View All Result
  • Login
Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Afternoon Voice
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • Top News
  • City News
  • Nation
  • World
  • Entertainment
    • Bollywood
    • Hollywood
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Hockey
    • Tennis
    • Football
    • Badminton
  • Editorial
  • Opinion
    • Column
    • Diary
    • Letters
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Editor’s Pick
    • Featured
    • Lifestyle
    • Different Strokes
    • Multimedia
    • Sci-Tech
    • Politics
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Top News
  • City News
  • Nation
  • World
  • Entertainment
    • Bollywood
    • Hollywood
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Hockey
    • Tennis
    • Football
    • Badminton
  • Editorial
  • Opinion
    • Column
    • Diary
    • Letters
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Editor’s Pick
    • Featured
    • Lifestyle
    • Different Strokes
    • Multimedia
    • Sci-Tech
    • Politics
No Result
View All Result
Afternoon Voice
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Top News
  • City News
  • Nation
  • World
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Editorial
  • Opinion
  • Epaper
  • More

Home > Editorial > People are forced to live in these dangerous buildings

People are forced to live in these dangerous buildings

Data from the NCRB indicates that a total of 38363 people lost their lives due to collapse of various structures between 2001 and 2015.

by Vaidehi Taman
June 10, 2020
in Editorial
A A
0

Almost in every monsoon, some people give up their lives under the wreckage of old buildings. Between 2001 & 2015, an average of 7 people died per day in Collapse of Structures in the city. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) indicates that a total of 38363 people lost their lives due to collapse of various structures between 2001 and 2015. The saga of such tragic deaths continued till 2019, this year Mumbai has many challenges, from Lockdown withdrawals to living with COVID19. Most people lost their lives because of the collapse of residential houses. There are hundreds of people forced to live in these dangerous buildings in spite of every day building fall incidents.

The building walls have deep cracks and the paint is peeling, much portion of the building just sliced and some are standing on temporary supports. But still the people are forced to live here in danger, because they cannot buy or rent a new flat in the neighbourhoods because they are very expensive. Property prices and rent in Mumbai are among the highest in Asia. Many citizens are forced to live in old, dilapidated properties in a land-scarce city where an estimated 60% of its 18 million people live in slums and purlieus.

In the western suburbs, Andheri (west) or the K/West ward has 50 buildings in the C-1 category. As part of its pre-monsoon preparedness, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had identified 791 buildings in the C-1 category — the most dangerous. Of these, it has demolished 186 (23%) buildings and evacuated 117 (14%) buildings as of March-end. buildings as C-2 and C-3. While C-2 buildings require major structural repairs, C-3 need minor repairs. The largest numbers of dilapidated buildings are in L ward or Kurla (113) followed by N ward or Ghatkopar, where 80 buildings are in the C-1 category. However, the BMC demolished only two buildings in L ward and evacuated around 19 others. It is yet to initiate action on 92 buildings. The F/North ward (which includes Matunga, Dadar and Sion) also has 77 structures in the C-1 category.

There are thousands of buildings in Mumbai that are more than 70 years old. Due to an archaic law which limits raising rents, many tenants pay as low as $1-$20 (65 pence-£13) a month, leaving the landlords with little money to invest in repairs and maintenance. No wonder then that 959 buildings have been branded as “dilapidated and dangerous” by the city’s municipality. And every year, a number of these buildings collapse, leading to many deaths.

In a densely populated city where quality, affordable housing is scarce, realtors often cut corners to make what many call substandard buildings, putting the buyers at risk. Though there are nearly half a million pricey apartments which lie vacant as sellers look for rich buyers, millions of middle-class residents get squeezed out to the suburbs and outskirts to live in these hazardous new buildings. The corruption in the housing sector – complex regulation leading to complicity between a section of builders and government workers – worsens matters and leads to poor quality buildings coming up in the city. Corrupt builders build homes without taking mandatory permissions using poor construction material. In many cases, residents get a structural audit done and approach the court to get a stay delaying the demolition further. According to the data, 145 cases are pending with the court and 21 cases are pending with an internal committee.

A structural audit is mandatory for any building, which are more than 30 years old. With limited availability of open land parcels in Mumbai, major developers are now looking at venturing into the redevelopment space. Dilapidated buildings on the verge of collapse are a grim reality for thousands of housing societies across Mumbai. Developers, as an incentive to owners of older buildings, offer additional area, money, and the promise of a new flat with a better amenity. But owners should keep a few things in mind before opting for redevelopment. Housing redevelopment refers to the process of reconstruction of a residential premise by demolition of the existing structure and construction of a new one as per approvals from the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM). It ideally works best when a society is in dire need of extensive repairs but is starved of the necessary funds for it. Developers, on their part, are also on the lookout for properties with unused development rights where they can build a new and higher structure where the additional floors can be sold for a tidy profit. But redevelopment can only take place if 75 percent of the members tender their consent. Over 20,000 housing societies, 17,000 ceased buildings and over 3,000 MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) structures are waiting for redevelopment proposals.

However, while redevelopment may be the latest buzz, citizens argue that developers often tear down old colonial mansions to build luxury towers for the rich. And more often than not, it is often haphazard and done without the consent of society members. The redevelopment process also causes inconvenience to the residents, as they will have to look for alternative places to stay in while the builder demolishes the old building and constructs a new one. Redevelopment is usually burdened with bitterness and complaints of high-handedness and corruption against the Managing Committee of the society, which is why people choose to live in whatever space they have.


(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com)

Tags: AndheriBMCKurlaMHADAMumbaiNCRB

Vaidehi Taman

Vaidehi an Accredited Journalist from Maharashtra is bestowed with three Honourary Doctorate in Journalism. Vaidehi has been an active journalist for past 16 years, and is also the founding editor of an English daily tabloid – Afternoon Voice, a Marathi web portal – Mumbai Manoos, monthly magazine Beyond The News, and The Democracy digital video news portal is her brain child. She is an EC Council Certified Ethical Hacker, OSCP offensive securities, Certified Security Analyst and Licensed Penetration Tester that caters to her freelance jobs. Besides journalism, she is also an Ethical Hacker, Philanthropist, and Author.

Recommended For You

Each member of a cooperative housing society demands dignity
Editorial

Each member of a cooperative housing society demands dignity

May 16, 2022
brahmin, dalit, maratha, maratha flag, ketaki chitale, maratha
Editorial

Maharashtra politics got propagated as Brahmins Vs Maratha and Dalits

May 15, 2022
raj thackeray, thackeray, mns, maharashtra navnirman sena, thackeray, hindutva, balasaheb, mns, shiv sena, sena, hindu
Editorial

Raj Thackeray lost his individuality in the new Saffron robe?

May 13, 2022
drought, flood, drought in india, flood in india, climate change, climate
Editorial

India suffers from two extreme conditions: drought and floods

May 12, 2022
marital rape, rape, laws, indian law, supreme court, delhi high court, marital rape laws, advocates, laws for rape
Editorial

In cases of marital rape, proving intercourse brutal is irrelevant

May 11, 2022
Purshottam Singh Gandhok, Arthur Road Jail, Jail, Mumbai Police
Editorial

A 90-year-old Purshottam Singh Gandhok justifies the killing of his wife and daughter

May 10, 2022
ADVERTISEMENT

LATEST NEWS

arvind kejriwal, kejriwal, bhagat singh, karnataka, textbook, karnataka bjp

Omission of a lesson on Bhagat Singh from K’taka school textbook insult to martyr: Kejriwal

May 17, 2022
Each member of a cooperative housing society demands dignity

Each member of a cooperative housing society demands dignity

May 16, 2022
sanjay pandey, housing society, society, housing, pandey

Mumbai CP announces dedicated police stations for housing society complaints

May 16, 2022
chardham yatra, heart attack, chardham

Chardham Yatra: ‘Heart attack, mountain sickness’ cause 39 deaths in 2 weeks

May 16, 2022
brahmin, dalit, maratha, maratha flag, ketaki chitale, maratha

Maharashtra politics got propagated as Brahmins Vs Maratha and Dalits

May 15, 2022
andrew symonds, car crash, australian cricketer, cricketer

Former Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds dies in a car crash

May 15, 2022
ADVERTISEMENT

EDITOR TWEETS

Tweets by @vaidehisachin
Afternoon Voice

© 2022 Newsmakers Publications Pvt. Ltd. | All rights reserved.

Important Links

  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Support Parallel Media

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Top News
  • City News
  • Nation
  • World
  • Entertainment
    • Bollywood
    • Hollywood
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Hockey
    • Tennis
    • Football
    • Badminton
  • Editorial
  • Opinion
    • Column
    • Diary
    • Letters
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Editor’s Pick
    • Featured
    • Lifestyle
    • Different Strokes
    • Multimedia
    • Sci-Tech
    • Politics

© 2022 Newsmakers Publications Pvt. Ltd. | All rights reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?