Crumbling Structure at Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar
As the civic body gets ready to raze dilapidated buildings, residents plead for state intervention to help redevelop the area.
Punjabi colony at Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar
(GTB), which is more than 70 years old and has been home to Sikh and Punjabi
refugees who came from Pakistan shortly after Independence, might be on its
last legs. Post the Govandi building collapse incident, the BMC has started
rigorous action to vacate all dilapidated buildings in the city. The plan for
demolition is ongoing and execution will start in October. But, residents are
pleading for government intervention, as they haven't found any solution for
the redevelopment or alternate accommodation.
All the 25
buildings of Punjabi Colony are in a dilapidated condition and the BMC had
started sending evacuation notices to these buildings almost two decades ago in
1999.
But after all these years of court cases,
agitation and redevelopment process, the BMC has started disconnecting water
and electricity. It has already cut connections of 14 buildings. "We plan
to cut the connection of all the remaining buildings over the next week, as
they are dilapidated, and we cannot take any risk. The demolition process of
buildings will start in October," said Gajanan Bellale, assistant
commissioner of F North ward consisting Wadala and Sion.
While the residents also do not feel safe
staying in these buildings, and many of them have already shifted, the main
issue of redevelopment and alternate accommodation remains unresolved.
https://www.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-bmc-to-start-demolitions-at-punjabi-colony/23009247
