Taking strict action against people refusing to vacate dilapidated buildings, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has filed a police complaint against 25 residents in Byculla for trying to oppose the civic body’s attempts to cut water and electricity supply of their buildings.
According to the civic officials, these buildings were built on municipal land during 1970s and have been declared as dangerous in the BMC’s pre-monsoon survey.
There are 11 buildings in Kasarwada, Byculla, in which 236 residents are staying. The BMC had issued notices to them to vacate their residences before the monsoon, failing which it threatened to cut their water and electricity connections.
As the residents did not pay heed to warnings, a team of civic officials from the E ward (Byculla) went to these 11 buildings to cut their water and electricity supply. But as the residents strongly opposed the BMC’s move, the civic body filed a first information report (FIR) against for obstructing public work.
“We have lodged police complaints against 25 people who were opposing BMC’s action. The police will now take further action,” said additional municipal commissioner Aseem Gupta.
The BMC has expedited action against dilapidated buildings after the fatal collapse of the Altaf Mansion in Mahim, in which 10 people lost their lives.
The civic chief has directed the civic officials to evacuate extremely dangerous buildings by June 15. He has also warned that he will hold the ward officers responsible for failing to carry this out. There are 77 such buildings, which have been identified as extremely dangerous, the maximum such buildings being in Byculla.
However, residents allege that delay in reconstruction of these buildings is the main cause behind their reluctance to vacate. “We will have to shift to a transit camp in Chembur and do not know how much time we will have to spend there,” said a resident.