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regular-article-logo Wednesday, 26 February 2025

Protest stalls Kolkata Municipal Corporation bid of demolish tilted building in Tangra

Flat owners demand alternative space, KMC officials cite mayor’s order to raze structure

Monalisa Chaudhuri, Subhajoy Roy Published 31.01.25, 11:13 AM
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Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials on Thursday failed to start demolition work on an under-construction building on Christopher Road in Tangra that has tilted as residents of the neighbourhood resisted the drive.

Hundreds of people gathered around the six-storeyed building, some entered the premises and demonstrated their anger from the balconies, resisting the government’s move to pull down the building.

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The resistance prompted the KMC workmen and the police — who had gone to execute the order — to retreat.

“This is unfair. How are we supposed to know if a building is legal or illegal? What will happen to us now? We want alternative space,” said a homemaker who said she has a flat on the ground floor of the “white building” that had tilted towards an adjoining light green building.

Many people, mostly women, forced their way into the building and tried to close the collapsible gate to prevent the police and KMC officials from entering.

KMC workmen who had gone to demolish the building waited for several hours till the operation was called off for the day.

KMC officials said on Thursday evening that there was no change in their stance. “We have clear instructions from the mayor to demolish the building. We will do it,” said a senior official.

Thursday’s resistance from the people, preventing the administration from carrying out a government order to demolish a building that could pose a serious threat to life and property, was an indication of how such illegal activities were locally popular and enjoyed the patronage of residents.

There was no resistance in the neighbourhood when the two buildings on Christopher Road, with very little space between them, were developed flouting basic safety rules.

Earlier this month, the buildings were found to have tilted towards each other. One of them, the five-storeyed light green structure, has families living in it for over a year.

The other — which KMC was trying to demolish on Thursday — was under construction for close to a year and has no occupants. But still, residents of the area, including some who have bought flats in the building, would not allow the demolition and wanted the government to provide alternative flats.

Calcutta mayor Firhad Hakim recently said the KMC had urged the residents of the five-storeyed structure not to stay in the building till a structural engineer certified it fit.

“The (six-storeyed) building will be demolished under the supervision of a structural engineer,” Hakim said.

Tangra — a congested neighbourhood with buildings mushrooming side by side — is no exception in a city where such examples are common.

Recently, an illegally developed four-storeyed building in Netajinagar collapsed from its base as the structure had tilted and a construction company was in the process of “lifting” the building with a hydraulic jack.

A majority of the flat owners of the building had claimed they were unaware of the building being developed without formal government permission. The police have drawn up FIRs against all the owners of the flats and of the construction company that was engaged in the “lifting” job.

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