Rickety structures pose a risk to residents, shoppers

BHOPAL: The dilapidated structures in the New Market area, a major shopping hub of the state capital, pose risk to life and limb of residents, shopkeepers and consumers. Despite notices to remove old structures and uproot the new ones, owners of the respective buildings round New Market, no action has been taken by them, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials allege.
"We have marked around 217 structures in and around New Market which are in a bad shape and needs reconstruction," said Rajneesh Shrivastava, commissioner, BMC.
"We have issued notices to the owners of the private buildings around New Market asking them to detonate their buildings and reconstruct them before any accident. It is made clear in the notice that if the building owners do not act even after getting notices from the BMC, the BMC can lodge an FIR against the owner and make him pay for the loses in case of an accident," he added.
The BMC had issued notices to the owners of private buildings in New Market in June, he said.
The commissioner said, "We are working on a plan to remove and re-construct dilapidated structures owned by the corporation in New Market before any accident takes place."
The market was established in the early 1960's and is the shopping hub of Bhopal. There are over 10,000 shops in the market.
The buildings adjacent to Bhopal Co-operative Central Bank, above HP gas agency, opposite Rang Mahal talkies, in ladies tailor market and most two-storeyed buildings inside the main market which have shops on the ground floor and storage facilities on the first floor.
The row of buildings opposite TT Nagar police station are also in a bad shape. "The buildings are painted from outside, which gives them a fresh look. But the condition of the buildings is poor," BMC officials said requesting anonymity.
"I have been telling the BMC officials to look into the matter for three years. I think the corporation will act only after an accident takes place," Taslim Wahid Laskari, Congress corporator told TOI.
Parking woes:
Parking menace still continues to create inconvenience for commuters passing New Market each day. The BMC has marked 2.5 acre of land near the community hall for developing it into a multi-level parking for the convenience of New Market visitors, BMC commissioner said.