MCG clueless about old buildings that need repair

Times of India: Gurgaon: Sunday, September 14, 2014.

Despite several instances in the recent past where old buildings have collapsed in Delhi, the MCG has not made any precautionary effort to recognize such structures.

According to an RTI reply, the planning department of the municipal corporation does not have any data pertaining to old buildings and structures in the city, nor does it have any plans of initiating an effort to that end in the near future.

In the same RTI reply to a question regarding what steps it is taking to prepare a list of unsafe buildings in the city, the assistant town planner of the MCG claimed that questions starting with prefixes such as what, where, when, whom and how are not covered under the RTI Act, 2005.

"I am appalled at the response given by the MCG authorities. Not only do they not have any data pertaining to old and unsafe structures in the city, they also do not have any plans to prepare such a list. There are many old structures which could pose a threat to the nearby buildings and it is the responsibility of the MCG to ensure that they have information about such buildings so that the necessary steps can be taken, such as declaring them unsafe," said Aseem Takyar, the applicant.

Response to two other questions asking whether or not it is necessary for the MCG to prepare a list of unsafe buildings and which department is responsible for such a list, the answer was the same. They claimed no such decision from the competent authority was available.

MCG commissioner Vikas Yadav could not be contacted, sources said that there were quite a few buildings in the old city which could pose a threat as they needed repairs. However, they said the owners were unable to carry out these repairs as there was a blanket ban imposed by the Supreme Court and high court on any sort of construction activity within a 900-metre radius of the IAF depot.