Audit of cessed bldgs before rains Repair Board Officials Sceptical About Finishing Survey In Short Span

Mumbai: Merely two months ahead of the monsoon, the government has decided to conduct a scientific audit of all cessed and dilapidated buildings in the city and appoint consultants for technical study of the structures. 

    The move is seen as the state's endeavour to avoid a repetition of the Mumbra incident where a building collapsed, killing 74 people and injuring several others. 
    "The housing department plans to conduct a scientific survey of all dilapidated buildings, especially before the rains start," minister of state for housing Sachin Ahir said. According to the department statistics, the city has over 13,000 cessed buildings—they were built before 1940—many of which need repair immediately. It is the Mumbai Buildings Repairs and Reconstruction Board (MBRRB) that checks if the structure requires any repair or reconstruction. 
    But the board officials are sceptical about completing such a largescale survey before the monsoon. "Scientific survey of all buildings is not possible in such a short span. The board can identify the buildings that need to undergo structural audit on priority. Structures in better condition can be surveyed later in the year," said an official of the housing department. 
    The housing department's move assumes significance with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) questioning the mechanism adopted by the MBRRB for identifying dilapidated cessed buildings in Mumbai. "It is difficult to visually ascertain the deterioration or distress of a building structure," the CAG stated in its recently tabled report in the state legislature. Taking cognizance of the CAG's remark, Ahir said the board would soon appoint or hire experts from reputed institutions, like IIT-B, for conducting scientific tests of the old structures. "Experts will be roped in for completing the survey," Ahir added. 
    The CAG, in its report, also stated that despite the board's survey, seven cessed buildings collapsed between 2008 and 2011, which caused the death of 37 people. A total of 39 people were injured. 
    The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) has also begun the process of appointing a consultant for carrying out structural audit of its structures. "The consultant will do the audit of the authority's construction," vice-chairman and CEO of Mhada Satish Gavai said. 
RECENT COLLAPSES 

• 2010: A 115-year-old building near dockyard collapses 

• 2011: A portion of a five-storey Mhada-cessed building collapses in Pydhonie 

• 2012: A part of the ceiling of a four-storey cessed building caves in at Parsi Colony in south Mumbai