Lack of maintenance and illegal alterations behind Navi Mumbai's weak buildings

MUMBAI: CIDCO had appointed a Committee, headed by Mr N V Mirani, former Principal Secretary, to survey the present condition of buildings constructed nearly 20-25 years ago in Navi Mumbai.

The Mirani Committee, which submitted its report recently,had noted that buildings have become decrepit due to lack of maintenance and repairs.

The Committee further opined that "The negligence of maintenance of building for all these years is a major contribution towards dilapidation. It has come to notice of the committee that many owners have carried out some unauthorised additions & alterations in their tenements.

It is absolutely necessary that such unauthorised alterations and additions should be properly controlled by CIDCO and NMMC without which the buildings, which are already in various stages of aging, may suffer accelerated damage and become unsafe. A proper system of vigilance and check on the unauthorized alteration should be introduced and implemented.

Recently, the Honourable Bombay High Court, hearing the matter of dangerous and dilapidated buildings in rental housing scheme of BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has directed that the owners are responsible for maintenance and repairs of such buildings. The Court also asked the Civic Body to finalize a policy and set up a committee of technical experts to survey such buildings and fine-tune the way forward.

In the light of the above, the entire responsibility of maintenance and repairs of dilapidated buildings is of its residents/owners and societies. Still has advised residents of old and dilapidated buildings in its jurisdiction to move to safer places.

CIDCO has earmarked tenements for residents of old and dilapidated buildings in Kalamboli at Unnati Housing Scheme at Ulwe and has served notices on residents to shift there.

In its bid to address the issue of old and dilapidated buildings in Navi Mumbai, CIDCO has drafted an urban renewal Scheme. The scheme is aimed to address the issue of old and dilapidated buildings in the jurisdiction of CIDCO as well as in the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation area. The scheme will address the challenge of old and dilapidated buildings and ensure their integrated development.

The scheme provides for 3 FSI and is based on the MHADA's development of housing colonies with higher FSI. The said proposal is under consideration of the Maharashtra Government's Urban Development Department.