Old buildings a threat, Chennai Corporation plays blind

CHENNAI:The death of a 60-year-old woman in Ennore last week did little to alert civic agencies about the threat that old and dilapidated buildings in Chennai pose to the public. Radhiya, the victim, was killed in her sleep when a wall of her dilapidated house collapsed.
It has been three years since Greater Chennai Corporation identified a number of dilapidated buildings as a safety threat and certified them as fit for demolition.But civic body officials could offer no update when TOI on Tuesday asked about the progress they had made.
A senior corporation official said zonal authorities are still in the process of enumerating dilapidated buildings.
“Zonal officers are now tied up with monsoon-related work.Once the rainfall subsides, we will look into [the issue],“ the official added.
However, zonal officials told TOI that no enumeration process is underway . “We take action when residents register complaints. Our engineers usually have a fair idea of which buildings are worn out just by looking at their exteriors. So we won't risk public safety,“ a zonal officer told TOI.
But it is during the monsoon that the threat of collapse increases as structural weaknesses are amplified when old buildings are exposed to rain. For instance, on Prakasam Salai, the corporation has left unattended a 116-year-old structure that has partly collapsed. Near the Mannady bus stand, a banyan tree has sprouted out of the walls of a century-old building that was once home to a jewellery and rare gems shop. Several buildings occupied by commercial outlets on Evening Bazaar Road near the Southern Railway headquarters show signs of wear and tear. Sunshades and balconies with cracks wide open stand precariously while pedestrians walk under them, unaware of the danger above.
Officials attached to Zone 5 (Royapuram) of the corporation told TOI that they had issued several notices to building owners, calling for demolition. “In August alone, we issued around 13 notices,“ an official said. However, these notices seldom translate into actual action.

A building from which a tree has sprouted. All these old edifices pose a serious threat to pedestrians. The peril increases a great deal during the monsoon.
Bbuilding owners earn protection by staying court proceedings initiated by the corporation, sources said.
“The idea is for the corporation to demolish and recover costs from the owner or for the owner to himself pull a building down within 30 days of being issued a notice. But once it enters litigation, the process can be drawn out,“ a corporation official said.
Activist Jawaharlal Shanmugam said the problem of old buildings can be resolved only by judicial intervention.
“The Madras high court must crack the whip on the corporation. Judges are aware that there are dilapidated structures all over George Town. Only initiating suo motu cases will help because corporation officials rarely conduct field visits to identify rundown buildings,“ he said.
BUILDING COLLAPSES ON RAJAJI SALAI
Part of a ramshackle two-storey building on Rajaji Salai collapsed on Tuesday night. Police said there were no casualties as the building, weakened by tree growth, was unoccupied. The building housed a commercial establishment five decades ago. Three security guards were deployed to guard the structure. They were absent when the building collapsed.Following an alert, an emergency rescue vehicle from Esplanade rushed to the scene and ensured that no one was injured.