'Demolition' drama: Unsafe building outlasts red tape

The building in question ordered to be demolished for the second time in 18 months.

Photo Credits: The Goan

MARGAO
In what has become an acid test of administrative resolve and public safety enforcement, South Goa authorities continue to grapple with the long-pending demolition of a Margao building declared “unsafe” as far back as 2018.

Despite multiple demolition orders — with the most recent one issued by District Collector Egna Cleetus, IAS, on May 28 — the structure still stands, with business operating on the ground floor in open defiance of official directives. The failure to act decisively has exposed gaps in coordination between the Margao Municipal Council (MMC), the Public Works Department (PWD), and district administration, raising concerns over governance and accountability.

Egna’s predecessor, Asvin Chandru, IAS, had issued an order dated November 13, 2023, for the demolition of the same building based on a 2018 report from the Goa College of Engineering declaring the building as “unsafe”. It’s now a year and a half since Chandru issued directions to the MMC to raze down the building. That’s not all. The Deputy Collector has reportedly sent umpteen reminders to the Margao civic body in the last 18 months to execute the Collector’s directions, but the order is yet to be implemented.

The latest Collector’s order is facing another challenge of sorts. Leave alone razing down the “unsafe” structure, it’s business as usual on the ground floor of the building declared unsafe by the Goa College of Engineering in 2018.

The MMC took months to even revoke the trade licence associated with the property — an action that finally came through only shortly before the then Chief Officer, Gaurish Sankhwalkar, was transferred. Even after the licence was revoked, the business remained operational, with no enforcement measures taken to shut it down or seal the premises.

Margao municipality dilly-dallied on action

After dilly-dallying for months, the Margao municipality issued the South Goa demolition squad on September 29, 2024, requisitioning the demolition squad to carry out the demolition.

However, the office of the Margao Deputy Collector, Ramesh Gaonkar, now Additional Collector-II, communicated to the MMC on October 9, 2024 to coordinate with the PWD to carry out the demolition, only promising to provide police protection and the Executive Magistrate.

The unsafe building hasn't been demolished with the Margao Municipal Chief Officer, the engineers, Deputy Collector, Margao, heading the demolition squad, not executing the order.

Collector or MMC - Who will act?

Even as District Collector Cleetus issued a demolition order on May 28 to demolish the unsafe building on the Isidore Baptista building, one question that is doing the rounds in municipal circles is, leave alone the demolition of the building, will the Collector or the MMC Chief Officer at least shut down the business in the unsafe building in the interest of public safety and security?

For, business activity on the ground floor of the unsafe building has been going on unabated since November 13, 2023, the day ex-Collector Chandru ordered the demolition of the unsafe building.

While demolition orders and warnings continue to be issued, what remains absent is effective enforcement. Margao municipal chairperson Damu Shirodkar has stated that the council has done its job by revoking the business licence for operations in the building. However, no authority has yet moved to shut down ongoing commercial operations, despite clear legal grounds.

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Margao’s crumbling structures under watch, unsafe portions to be razed

MARGAO: The South Goa Administrator of Comunidades building and the Old Bank of Baroda building, which was in the news after a portion of its structure collapsed, are under the scanner of the District Disaster Management Authority.

Authority Chairperson and District Collector, Egna Cleetus, IAS, has directed the Executive Engineer, Works Division VIII (Bldgs), PWD, Fatorda, to immediately demolish the overhanging or any other dangerous part of the premises of Bank of Baroda, Cruz Building, opposite Pimpalkatta, Gandhi Market, and the Comunidade building opposite the Margao Municipal Council.

The directions have been issued after the District Collector’s attention was drawn to the overhanging roofs of the two buildings, which are in a dilapidated condition and pose a serious safety hazard, being on the verge of collapse.

The PWD has been directed to commence the work immediately and complete the same within seven days from the date of issue of this order. The concerned departments shall submit a compliance report to the District Disaster Management Authority upon completion of the said works.

The cost of the said demolition carried out by the Executive Engineer, Works Division VIII (Bldgs), PWD, Fatorda, Goa, shall be recovered from the owner of the building by the Mamlatdar of Salcete Taluka.

The Executive Engineer, Works Division VIII (Bldgs), PWD, Fatorda, Goa, has been directed to allocate necessary funds for the demolition, as stipulated under Section 49 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.