Home dept to run from WTC
The state home and revenue departments have decided to temporarily set up their offices at the World Trade Centre in Cuffe Parade, after offices of several departments were charred in last week’s fire at Mantr-alaya.
The other departments, including that of the chief minister’s, will be either located within Mantr-alaya or in the nearby government buildings. “We have already shifted base to the World Trade Centre and have even started working from there,” confirmed Medha Gadgil, principal secretary of appeals and security, home department.
CM Prithviraj Chavan has relocated to the first floor of Mantralaya, while DCM Ajit Pawar has moved his office to the second floor, in the chamber of water resources minister Sunil Tatkare.
The state government has even asked the state election commission, which occupies around 4,000 square feet of space in the new administrative building, to vacate its premises, so that the state can accommodate some other departments that were affected in fire.
When asked about the rent that is being paid to the World Trade Centre, Ms Gadgil claimed that she was unaware about the same. However, sources, informed that the rental runs into a few crores.
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‘3 floors need to be rebuilt’
Age correspondent
Mumbai, June 28
The primary report of structural audit of Mantralaya reveals that major reconstruction is required at the top three, especially the sixth floor of the building. Exactly a week after the June 21 fire, PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal said that the entire sixth floor, except the chief minister’s cabin, needed to be demolished and reconstructed.
The team of experts and structural engineers, after a detailed inspection have given its oral opinion. The final report, as well as the report of the National Disaster Management Authority will take a further two days, said the minister. He added that the top floors are damaged severely.
Mr Bhujbal said that the fourth and fifth floors needed repairs as well. At some places the pillars needed routing, while in others, entire beams needed replacements, he said.
The minister also said that as many as 166 trucks full of debris has already been removed from the damage left behind by the fire and some more is still to be removed. “Nearly 800 workers have been deployed for the clean-up job. However, removal of debris has to be done only at night as trucks are not allowed in the area during daytime,” said the minister.
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