The Agra Municipal Corporation(AMC) has issued notice to the owners and caretakers of 117 identified dilapidated buildings, which can collapse during heavy rainfall or a storm, causing loss of lives and properties.
The AMC has also issued letters to all police stations in the city, asking the station house officers to ensure compliance of its order by the owners and caretakers of such structures falling under their jurisdiction.
Moreover, the corporation has also asked engineers to ensure people living in the buildings which are in very poor condition are vacated.
The 100 city wards have been divided into four zones. The maximum number of dilapidated buildings are in the Chatta zone, followed by Lohamandi, Tajganj and Hariparwat.
Chief engineer BL Gupta said, “Thus far, as many as 117 dilapidated buildings have been identified in the four city zones. These buildings are not suitable for living and can collapse in monsoon rains. So, to prevent a major accident, we have issued notices to the owners of these buildings. We have also asked police officers to ensure that the building owners get the required renovation work or pull down the damaged parts of the buildings as soon as possible.
The survey to identify buildings in the poor condition is on in different parts of the city, and thus, we may issue more notices.”
According to Section 33(1) of the UP Municipal Corporations Act, 1959, if any structure is in a ruinous condition or is likely to fall and is dangerous to any person occupying it, the municipal commissioner may, by written notice, require the owner or occupier to pull down, secure, remove or repair such structure to prevent all causes of danger.
In case of non-compliance to the notice, the municipal corporation has the right to order demolition of a dilapidated structure putting lives in danger.
