A five-storey building that stands right next to the plot in Garden Reach where an allegedly illegal structure collapsed a week ago will be pulled down, officials of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) said.
The building, which KMC officials say is illegal, is tilted and civic engineers suspect there could be issues with its structural stability.
“That apart, the entire building has been constructed without any building permit from the KMC,” said a senior official in the civic body.
The building stands amidst the rubble of the five-storey under-construction structure that collapsed around midnight on March 17, killing 12 people and leaving many injured.
The tilted building, which has about 15 dwelling units, was evacuated soon after the collapse.
KMC engineers on Sunday made an attempt to demolish the building but had to return following protests by those who lived there. The protesters demanded a commitment from the authorities that they would be provided with an accommodation.
Men deployed by the contractor hired to raze the building were present at the site.
“We knew that the demolition would not be an easy task but we made an attempt. Anyhow, the resistance is in a way good because everyone will now become aware that this building has to be pulled down,” said an official of the KMC.
The KMC had requested those who stayed in the building to remove their belongings.
“They agreed to remove their belongings but said we should not start the demolition till they are told in writing that they would be given new homes,” an official said.
The entire structure is illegal but it can’t be pulled down in the face of resistance, the official said.
“Forcible demolition is not possible. We have communicated the demands of the local people to the authorities. We are not authorised to promise any new home to them. Senior officials of the state government or the political leadership can do that.”
KMC sources said it was proposed that the names of the former residents of the building and the areas of their dwelling units would be recorded in the presence of the local councillor over the next few days.
The Telegraph called Shams Iqbal, the local councillor (Ward 134), on Sunday evening. “Sorry, I cannot talk,” he said when this reporter identified himself.
Mayor Firhad Hakim told this newspaper on Sunday evening that the councillor had been asked to talk to the people who lived in the building.
“There has to be a proper survey of how many people lived there and how big were their dwelling units. I have asked them to come and see some homes made under the Banglar Bari scheme of the state government. How much place is there to accommodate the residents have to be taken into consideration,” Hakim said.
“The builders often provide tiny rooms to families in these buildings. The state government’s scheme, on the other hand, has a stipulated minimum area. So we have to see whether there will be space to build so many dwelling units there,” Hakim said.