The Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) has for the first time in its history started a survey of high-rise buildings (G+2) – both apartments and commercial buildings – which are above 50-years-old and have attained weak positions.
The builders have been directed to compulsorily provide building stability report to the HDMC.
If there are complaints from the public about buildings going weak and no measures are taken to strengthen them, HDMC will issue notices to the builders asking them to demolish the building voluntarily. If builders fail to respond to the notices, HDMC will vacate the occupants and demolish the building. The cost of the demolition would be slapped on the builder.
Mayor Iresh Anchatgeri visited a high-rise apartment located near Barakotri and asked the builder to demolish the apartment as it has turned weak and may collapse at any time. Based on the complaints received from the public, HDMC had issued notice to the builder asking to submit a stability report. Despite serving two notices, the builder did not respond and take steps to strengthen the building.
Anchatageri said HDMC asked all six occupants to vacate the building for the safety of people and said it will demolish the building after seeking a structural report from a third party.
The civil department of SDM College of Engineering and Technology has been asked to study the condition of the building and give a structural report to initiate further action, added the mayor.
HDMC assistant commissioner RM Kulkarni said that under Section 322 of KMC Act, there is a provision for the civic body to issue notices to the builders asking to submit building stability report. Moreover, the civic body is empowered to take action if the building is posing a threat to public lives, he said.
Kulkarni said that in metros, the private builder must submit a building stability report once every 15 years and submit a detailed report to the civic body on measures taken to strengthen the building if it has turned weak.
