Over the past few weeks as heavy rains lashed the city almost every day, nearly seven buildings in different parts of the city have either collapsed or tilted due to faulty foundations, violations, etc.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in its emergency survey of weak and dilapidated structures has identified 503 dilapidated and weak structures that are dangerous for habitation across the city. The list, according to sources, contains details pertaining to the buildings, including name of the owner, address, extent of construction, year of construction etc.
According to information made available, most number of weak buildings have been identified in West zone (121), followed by South (115), East (113), Yelahanka (84), Mahadevapura (27), Rajarajeshwarinagar (23), Dasarahalli (11), and Bommanahalli (9).
Sources said that the number of weak and dilapidated structures may increase further, as the survey is still ongoing. Civic Chief Gaurav Gupta told The Hindu that the survey was taken up suo motu to ensure there is no danger to public life.
The damage to buildings is not just because of heavy rains that the city has been receiving. Civic officials are also attributing it to the large-scale building bye-law violations and inferior quality of construction.
The BBMP woke up to the dangers posed by dilapidated and weak buildings following a similar accident in 2019. The then commissioner had directed the officials to take up a survey and identify weak structures. Following this, the civic body had identified 185 weak and dilapidated structures across the city, of which 10 were demolished. The civic officials claim to have issued notices to the owners and residents of the remaining 175 structures.
In 2019, no weak structures were identified in the Bommanahalli zone. However, the new survey states that there are 9 such buildings in the zone. Similarly, as opposed to 1 identified in Rajarajeshwarinagar zone in 2019, there now are 23 dilapidated buildings.
BBMP officials have already begun issuing notices to the owners and residents of the identified buildings, apart from giving them seven days to vacate the premises. One challenge that is before the BBMP officials is to trace the owners of these buildings, who have rented out the premises and are living elsewhere.
The civic body is looking to enlist civil engineering experts to assess the structural strength of the identified buildings. Based on their report, the demolition will be taken up. Owners of the weak buildings may also hire their own structural engineers to assess the condition of the buildings to take up repairs.
“The removal of the buildings deemed weak will depend on the urgency and condition of the building. The other buildings will be marked unsafe and residents asked to vacate the premises,” he said.
