George Town All Merchants Welfare Association on Thursday demanded the demolition of all dilapidated buildings in the commercial area.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, president of the association P. Anees Raja said more than 500 buildings in George Town were dilapidated. “Yet Corporation officials are giving incomplete reports. At least 24 persons have died in the past six months, trapped under buildings that collapsed,” he said.
“The government should form a team to identify dilapidated structures. The current survey done by the Corporation is incomplete. Many buildings are receiving a fresh coat of paint without any structural strengthening. Officials are not including such buildings on the list,” he said, terming the trend “dangerous”.
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“We will file a PIL if the government fails to initiate measures to save lives. Such structures pose risk to the lives of thousands of visitors to George Town,” said another merchant.
The central business district has more than 14,000 buildings, with around 25,000 property tax assessees. A number of the owners have been found to have obtained permission for a building with ground-plus-one floor, but constructed multi-storeyed buildings. A number of the structures have been constructed without obtaining building approval from the civic body.
The civic body has identified 150 dilapidated buildings in the area in a survey conducted this week. The owners who receive notice from the Corporation will have to improve the structural condition or demolish the building in 30 days, officials said.
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