The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) on Friday sought the building plans and tenancy documents of 20 houses in Bowbazar from the Calcutta Municipal Corporation after it emerged that they might have to be demolished.

“The building survey committee will take the final call on demolition. But primarily it appears these 20 houses may have to be demolished,” Biswanath Dewanjee, chief engineer of KMRC, said.

The KMRC had earlier identified five buildings in Durga Pituri Lane and Syakrapara Lane for demolition. The work of dismantling one of them has begun. The Metro authorities have engaged an agency whose labourers are using hammers and crowbars to pull down parts of the building in Durga Pituri Lane.

A five-member committee, led by Nitin Som, emeritus professor of Jadavpur University, had visited Bowbazar earlier this week to study the structural stability of some of the buildings.

Som said the committee had classified buildings into three categories — those that can be restored with repairs, those that require detailed repairs and the ones that have to be razed.

“Committee members inspected the buildings on Friday, too, and we expect a primary report in the next few days,” Dewanjee said. “The panel is working on a list of houses that can be repaired quickly, so that some residents can return home.”