Dozens are feared trapped in yet another old building collapse in Mumbai. The megapolis needs stringent structural audits, swift repairs and redevelopment of dilapidated structures, good quality alternative housing and coordination between its multiple regulatory bodies to ensure the safety of such buildings. Until then, such tragic incidents will continue.
respected editor sir
excellant piece of editorial, we need such kind of editorial page where the background is given and being suggested solutions to the problems of the situatios and issues. thanks a lot.
The average age of these buildings is one hundred years. The government took over responsibility for structural repairs to – and eventual reconstruction of – approximately 20,000 tenanted buildings in the late 1960s. That daunting task is performed by the Repair Board, a regional unit of MHADA. From the early 1990s, the owners / tenants, working with professional developers, have been encouraged to reconstruct the buildings themselves, with the grant incentive Floor Space Index. The same model has been applied for redevelopment of slums, in which about one half of Bombay’s population lives. For a variety of reasons, for both sets of schemes, progress is slow, falling behind the required pace. The prolonged slump in real estate and the financial difficulties most developers are facing is becoming a major constraint. Whenever a collapse takes place, generally during the monsoons, the personnel of the fire brigade are the first to reach. The sight of mortal remains being retrieved is heart rending.