Identify dilapidated buildings, VMC told

Town Planning and engineering sections need to conduct a joint inspection

Following the collapse of the city light hotel in the State capital, the dilapidated buildings will now come under the scanner of the Town Planning wing of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC).

The authorities will demolish the buildings if the owners fail to take repairs as suggested by the engineering section or if the buildings unfit structurally. There are about 130 buildings in the city that are in a dilapidated condition.

Director of Town and Country Planning P. Thimma Reddy, in a letter dated July 8, has asked the Town Planning wing officials to survey and conduct inspection of each and every building which is in dilapidated condition and also in a dangerous condition in their jurisdiction immediately.

The Town Planning and engineering section of the VMC need to conduct a joint inspection to scrutinise the condition of dilapidated buildings.

A licensed surveyor, architect, and structural engineer would accompany them. The team would take photographs of the dilapidated buildings.

The authorities need to obtain third party verification on structural stability of the dilapidated buildings if necessary.

Later, the engineering section would issue structural stability certificate, VMC officials said.

The DTCP has asked the officials to issue notices under 4578 of HMC Act, 1955, section 231 of APM Act, 1956 to the owner/occupier/tenant asking them to carrying out the repairs or demolish after obtaining the structural stability certificate. The demolition notice would be issued under section 456 of HMC Act and section 231 of APM Act if the owner fails to carry repair/demolition.