Monsoon threat: 200 buildings in Chennai still unsafe

CHENNAI: Two persons died and two persons injured after a portion of a building collapsed on NSC Bose Road near Madras High Court, on Friday.

As the monsoon is yet to pick up pace, chances of such incidents loom the city as there are around 200 buildings in the city that are in weak condition, which pose a similar threat.

A Chennai Corporation official said that most of the 200 old and dilapidated buildings, that are identified as unsafe, are located in George Town, Purasavakkam, Royapuram and Tondiarpet. "A small number of such buildings also exist in Triplicane," the official added.

A few years ago, the civic body identified old and dilapidated buildings that pose a threat during the monsoon season, but there was no follow-up action against such buildings.

On Tuesday, a woman died after a balcony wall collapsed in Pulianthope.

"Provisions in the law allows the civic body to demolish such buildings to prevent accidents. However, the rules are not implemented due to some external pressure,” the official confided.

In November 2014, two persons died after the parapet wall of a 100-year-old building collapsed on Rajaji Salai in George Town. Meanwhile, it is learnt that the building that collapsed on Friday was already identified as unsafe by the civic body in 2014.

On the other hand, the State Municipal Administration and water supply department is delaying devising a redevelopment policy to remove old and dilapidated residential buildings in the city. Moreover, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has recently conducted a public hearing to redevelop the George Town area, where a majority of old buildings are located.