Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - HT Navi Mumbai Live
Residents want third structural audit
After two contradicting structural audit reports of a building at Pendsenagar in Dombivli (East), the residents want a third opinion.
The three-storey building has two wings, Shiv Shanti and New Shiv Shanti, which has 42 rooms.
Both the audits — one requested by the owner and the other by residents — were conducted by Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) last year.
The structural audit initiated by the owner reveals that the buildings are dangerous and should be demolished. A month later, the second audit found that the buildings are not dangerous and can be redeveloped.
“We decided to conduct a second structural audit as we were not pleased with the first one. The second audit clearly states that the building can be redeveloped,” said a resident of Shiv Shanti Building, who did not wish to be named.
Based on the first structural audit, the ward officers have served notices to residents 15 days ago asking them to vacate the rooms as the building shall Shiv Shanti, a three-storey building in Dombivli, built another wing in 1988.
be demolished. Last week, the civic officials also disconnected the water supply of both the buildings.
In July 2015, a report of the second structural audit conducted by KDMC’s panel of engineers was submitted to residents.
The residents claimed that for the last one year the civic body did not demolish the structure but it has now asked its residents
to vacate the building.
“The buildings would have been redeveloped in last one year. But the owner is not willing to redevelop it which is why a false structural audit report has been produced to the civic body. We want a third party structural audit to crosscheck this,” added the resident.
Corporator Rahul Damle said, “I will appeal to the KDMC
commissioner for a third party audit.”
A KDMC survey reveals that there are 297 dilapidated and 338 extremely dilapidated buildings in the seven wards. “As per the structural audit done by the building owner, we have served notice to the residents and have asked them to vacate the place,” said an officer from F ward officer of KDMC, requesting anonymity.