For four years, 114 buildings ‘unsafe’, but Noida authority yet to take any action
NOIDA: At a time the demand for structural audit of highrises is rising in the wake of the vertical collapse at Chintels Paradiso in Gurugram, the Noida Authority is yet to take any action to demolish 114 buildings in the city that were declared “unsafe” for living four years ago and needed to be brought down “immediately”.
In July 2018, nine persons died when two buildings — a new one and another being constructed — collapsed in Shahberi village of Dadri. In the aftermath, the Authority had conducted a survey of dilapidated buildings in the city under four categories and 1,757 structures were found to be either unsafe for living or had been built illegally. Although 114 buildings were marked for “immediate” demolition, things made little headway in the past four years after some initial crackdown against a few.
According to the survey report, there were 56 dilapidated buildings, 114 built on notified land and 261 on acquired land, among others.
Although some buildings were demolished in Garhi Chaukhandi as part of the crackdown, many
still stand tall and have “unsafe” written on the walls in red.
The crackdown, however, was short-lived and lost steam in a few weeks. In the past four years,
many officials have been transferred and those who have replaced them have little clue about it.
This correspondent spoke to three senior officials in the Authority, including those from the
planning wing that was part of the 2018 survey, but none could comment on what they intended
to do about demolishing the “unsafe” and illegal buildings. Ishtiyaq Ahmed, the GM (planning),
said, “I joined much after the twin building collapse in Shahberi. I don’t have much information
about the survey that was carried out then.”
A visit to Garhi Chaukhandi, Harola and Nithari villages revealed that left unchecked,
construction of buildings were going on in full swing. People living in the old apartments — some
of which are up to six-seven storeys high — in narrow bylanes were reluctant to speak to the
media, fearing action by the Authority.
Ritesh Kumar, a Harola resident, told TOI, “What sort of action do you want to be taken here?
Houses were allowed to be built here over decades, but no action was taken then. Now,
hundreds of people would come on the road if they are forced to leave or their buildings are
sealed.”
As far as the illegal buildings — more than three-storey high — are concerned, the Authority
was to verify whether they were built on notified land or not.
This process is also yet to be completed.
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