35,079 STRUCTURES OVER 30 YEARS OLD

Only 1% of old buildings conduct structural audits After Tepid Response, BMC To Issue Notices Again Mumbai: Despite the spate of building collapses in the recent past, of the 35,079 buildings that are more than three decades old, only 1% have conducted a structural audit.      In June, the BMC had issued a public notice asking societies with buildings more than 30 years old and owners of such structures to conduct a structural audit and submit it to the local ward office. Till date, only 388 buildings have complied with the notice.      The tepid response has surprised civic authorities, who have now decided to send notices again to these buildings and give them more time to fall in line. But if they still do not comply with the notice, the BMC plans to prosecute them. "If buildings fail to adhere to this rule, we will file court cases against them under Section 488 of the BMC Act. This section bars people from living in dangerous structures and risking the lives of people," said a senior civic official.      According to civic officials, there is no foolproof method to check whether or not a building is structurally stable, and predict when a dilapidated building will collapse. Hence, a structural audit is essential.      According to the provision of Section 353B of the BMC Act, it is the obligation of the owner and occupiers of buildings that are more than 30 years old to have them inspected by a qualified structural engineer registered with the BMC, get repairs done as suggested by the engineer and submit the completion certificate, along with the structural fitness certificate, to the municipal corporation.      The notice said that the corrective repairs suggested by the structural engineer should be undertaken within six months to secure the building's structural stability, failing which action will be taken as per procedure. TNN