Ulhasnagar residents urge govt to redevelop illegal buildings

A day after the Mohini Palace building collapsed killing five people and injuring two more, Ulhasnagar residents have urged the government to expedite the redevelopment policy for illegal structures. Families of the deceased have demanded that the state government form a special committee to address technical issues related to building redevelopment in order to prevent future tragedies. The city has over 400 buildings that were built between 1990 and 2000 using mostly low-quality materials. Over 2,000 people have become homeless and forced to live on a rental basis in the last decade after at least 50 buildings either collapsed or were sealed by Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) due to their dilapidated condition. Surprisingly, only one of the 50 ill-fated buildings has been redeveloped, according to local sources. On Sunday, UMC commissioner DR Raja Dayanidhi met with senior civic officials before releasing a list of 148 dangerous buildings on the corporation's website. Of these, 23 have been designated as very dangerous. According to UMC spokesperson Yuvraj Bhadane, 19 of these have already been vacated. Residents of the remaining four buildings are being asked to leave their homes. Citizens have been asked to conduct structural audits, Bhadane said. Image Source Also read: Clover Builders to raze two 22-storey buildings in Kondhwa Also read: How 9 residents demolished Clover Builders’ illegal towers