Bengal passes KMC (Amendment) Bill, to deal with dilapidated buildings

In a move to prevent building collapses and deal with dilapidated buildings in the city, the West Bengal assembly has passed the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2017, which would give legal power to the corporation to ensure repair and maintenance of such buildings

The West Bengal assembly, on March 10, 2017, passed the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2017, which would give legal power to the corporation to ensure repair and maintenance of old and dilapidated buildings in the city. State municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim, said that the city had several dilapidated buildings which needed urgent repair.

See also: Burrabazar fire: Bengal to amend house owner-tenant laws in KMC Act

“Through this bill, we will urge the KMC to form a committee and examine the buildings, so that repair work can be undertaken soon. The KMC will be given a time frame under which these building will have to be repaired,” Hakim said.

The bill stated: “It is felt that mere demolition of a dangerous building, under relevant provision of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980, will cause hardship to its occupants. It may not be conductive to public interest in the urban areas, suffering from acute shortage of accommodation and therefore, opportunities should be given to the owners, to reconstruct the structures in order to protect the lives and property of the occupants within the jurisdiction of KMC.”

 

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