Demolition day nears for Margao’s infamous unsafe building

The dilapidated and unsafe Cabeça de Calcondem building in Margao, declared unfit for occupancy since 2018 and awaiting demolition.

MARGAO
The long-drawn saga surrounding the demolition of the dilapidated and unsafe Cabeça de Calcondem building in the heart of the commercial capital appears to be nearing its end — exactly two years after then District Collector Asvin Chandru first directed the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) to raze the multi-storeyed structure in November 2023.
This development follows fresh correspondence from the apartment owners of the building to the Margao Municipal Chief Officer, expressing their willingness to proceed with the demolition starting on October 23.
Declared unsafe seven years ago, in 2018, the building’s demolition gained significant momentum after incumbent District Collector Egna Cletus issued a renewed order in May 2025, instructing the Executive Engineer, PWD Division VIII, to carry out the demolition in order to prevent any potential loss of life or property.
Acting in her capacity as Chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority, Collector Cletus invoked powers under Section 30(2) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, to direct the PWD to undertake the demolition. This move came after the MMC appeared before her and admitted its inability to execute the order, citing inadequate resources. Then Chief Officer Melvyn Vaz had submitted that the civic body lacked both manpower and funds to carry out the operation, and therefore sought assistance from the District Disaster Management Authority.
Faced with this situation, the Authority assigned the demolition work to the PWD Division VIII, to take up the work by allocating the necessary funds under Section 49 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
As per the Collector’s order, the Mamlatdar of Salcete Taluka is to recover the full cost of demolition from the building’s owners, while the Chief Officer, Margao Municipal Council, must ensure the evacuation of any remaining occupants prior to the operation.
Once executed, the demolition will finally bring the curtain down on a seven-year-long saga that began when the Goa Engineering College first declared the building unsafe in 2018.
Despite the structural concerns, businesses on the ground floor continued operations for years. It was only in 2023 that then Collector Asvin Chandru issued a demolition order, following a complaint by apartment owner Colin Coelho, who pointed out that the building remained occupied despite being officially deemed unsafe.
However, the MMC was slow to act on the directive, prompting Coelho to approach the High Court seeking intervention.
The issue resurfaced with urgency after portions of two other dilapidated buildings collapsed in May 2025, prompting District Collector Cletus to step in decisively and order the PWD to demolish the Cabeça de Calcondem structure.
Once completed, the demolition will close a prolonged chapter of bureaucratic delays, safety concerns, and civic inaction that has plagued Margao’s city centre for nearly a decade.
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Owners opt for pvt contractor for demolition at lower cost
MARGAO: The owners of apartments in the unsafe Cabeça de Calcondem building have volunteered to undertake the demolition of the structure on their own, following the Public Works Department’s (PWD) estimate of Rs 26 lakh for the project.
Although the District Collector had directed the PWD to demolish the building and recover the cost from the owners, apartment owner Colin Coelho told 'The Goan' that the residents have decided to proceed independently after a private contractor offered to complete the work for just Rs 7.5 lakh.
“Barring one, all the owners have agreed to contribute towards the demolition. Since the private contractor has offered to carry out the work for Rs 7.5 lakh, we collectively decided to handle the demolition ourselves,” Coelho explained.
He added that he has submitted a fresh letter to the Margao Municipal Chief Officer, informing the civic body of their plan to commence demolition on October 23.
“We have sought the cooperation of the Municipal Council to assist with logistics, including police deployment, and have expressed our willingness to bear the related expenses,” Coelho said.