New team to lay down rules for bldgs

MUMBAI: Stirred into action by the recent building collapse, the state government plans to implement a monitoring and maintenance system covering both government and private buildings, to avoid the repeat of such tragedies.

In a disaster management meeting that took place under the chairmanship of chief secretary JK Banthia on Tuesday, it was decided that a special team of structural engineers will be empanelled. This team will set up manuals and procedures to be followed by government agencies owning properties as well as private owners to ensure that their buildings are sturdy and safe.

“The idea is to have a database and maintenance manuals in place. Also, if we know the status of a building, we can ensure that retrofitting or maintenance work is done as required,” said Maharashtra disaster management director IA Kundan.

In the meeting, it was also decided that all important buildings in Mumbai need to go through a rapid visual survey (RVS), following which further recommendations for a complete audit, retrofitting and maintenance will be given by the panel. “One we get the RVS of all government buildings, we can have an accountability chart, whereby we will can ask officials why work on a particular building is pending,” Kundan said.

The cooperatives department has also been directed to get all private cooperative housing societies to have a structural audit done and get a report of all the internal renovations made by owners.