The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is reintroducing an old practice of posting security guards in buildings that are being constructed without authorisation and where the civic body has served a stop-work notice, mayor Firhad Hakim said on Wednesday.
This will be done to prevent work from going ahead despite the stop-work notice, something which happens commonly now.
Deputy mayor Atin Ghosh had questioned the break in the practice of posting guards outside illegal buildings after the collapse of a five-storey structure in Garden Reach, which killed 13 people.
“We have decided that we will again start posting security guards in illegal buildings. This used to be done before but was discontinued. We will reintroduce the practice,” Hakim said on Wednesday.
“The guards will be provided by private agencies. The cost of posting the guards will be recovered from the developers of the building,” said Hakim.
KMC officials said they have not been able to track down any order discontinuing the practice of posting security guards.
“The guards were posted in buildings where our engineers found illegal construction. It was expected that the presence of security guards would deter further construction in structures where the KMC had served a stop-work notice. The guards were posted so that they would inform the KMC in case the construction continued despite the notice,” said the official.
Deputy mayor Ghosh had questioned the halt in the practice following the collapse of the Garden Reach building on March 17. He had said that the practice produced some good results though
in some instances the role of the guards came under the scanner.
The KMC has also prepared a standard operating procedure following the building collapse in Garden Reach. The SOP has made it mandatory for engineers to inform the police when an illegal construction is identified.
Once that is done, they have to issue a stop-work notice to the owner or the builder. A copy of the letter should be sent to the officer in charge of the local police station, the deputy commissioner of police of that division and the joint commissioner of police, headquarters.
Squad
Hakim said on Wednesday the KMC will set up a central demolition squad at its headquarters. Members of the squad will go to sensitive areas and carry out demolition.