The Mussoorie Municipal Council (MMC) has issued demolition notices to total 17 buildings that have been deemed “unfit for habitation”, including the historic Koh-i-Noor building in Landour. The owners of these buildings have been instructed to commence the demolition process by Oct 14, according to the notice.
Officials said that the notices were issued based on National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders issued in 2023 following landslides in Landour.
The NGT had taken suo motu cognisance of the matter and had expressed concern over “reported sinking of earth surface” in Mussoorie and “excessive unplanned constructions beyond carrying capacity” in the town.The green tribunal had constituted a nine-member panel to conduct a comprehensive study of Mussoorie with regards to the carrying capacity of the town.
Rajesh Naithani, executive officer of MMC, said, “Based on a survey conducted in 2022, a total of 19 buildings were identified as dangerous for habitation. The owners were issued notices on Oct 6 to start their demolition process by Oct 14.”
Notably, a bungalow owned by the wife of former Indian cricket captain and commentator Sunil Gavaskar was also on the list of buildings issued notices. However, Naithani clarified that “the bungalow and another building have already been demolished and reconstructed, and are no longer considered dangerous for habitation”.
The Koh-i-Noor building, constructed around 1890 and frequented by celebrities such as actress Saira Bano and her family, is among the buildings slated for demolition. The now-dilapidated building, named after the renowned diamond, was built by an Indian family that owned the Bhagwan Dass Bank, which also had a branch in the building.
The list of buildings served with notices also includes the historic Hotel Prince, formerly known as Hotel Cecil, which was constructed in the early 20th century by the same owner who built Hotel Savoy.
