Panvel civic body issues notices to 281 buildings

Nearly a month after the Mahad building collapse, the Panvel Municipal Corporation has issued notices to 281 buildings for conducting a structural audit.

The civic body had conducted an inspection and found the buildings in a dilapidated condition. It had asked the residents to either vacate or conduct a structural audit and submit a report to the corporation. However, residents of some of the buildings have asked the corporation to provide them the proof of their buildings being dilapidated.

“The residents need to prove that their building is strong and for that they need to conduct an audit. But residents are responding by asking us to provide documents of proof. Of the 281 societies, around 12 have responded till now, and no one has yet conducted an audit and provided us the report,” Deputy Municipal Commissioner Vitthal Dake said.

The corporation had conducted the survey by visiting buildings and looking for the damage to the columns. “ There is an independent body comprising architects and engineers on the panel of the corporation. Each society has to hire it for a structural audit to understand the stability of the building and get the report and show us. The onus is on the society to prove that the building is strong enough to be used to continue staying,” Mr. Dake said. He said that the audit report would reveal if the building needs minor repairs, major repairs, evacuation, or nothing at all.

On August 24, a five-storey Tarique Gardens building at Mahad collapsed, killing 16 people and injuring nine. The building was around seven years old and the shoddy construction and cheap materials had led to the collapse. Farooq Mamudmiya Kazi, the builder who developed the Mahad building, had constructed three buildings in Panvel as well — Tarique Heritage in Sector 10 around 12 years ago, Tarique Sapphire in Sector 2 around six years ago, and Tarique Paradise. All the three buildings were served notices after the inspection in the first week of September.

Of the 281 buildings that have been served notices, 165 are in Kharghar (Ward A), 32 in Kalamboli (Ward B), 41 in Kamothe (Ward C), and 43 in Panvel (Ward D).