KMC completes demolition of unsafe buildings in Kolkata

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has finished demolishing two dangerous buildings in Baghajatin and Tangra. The G+3 building in Baghajatin was tilted and precariously resting on a boundary wall. Its top floors were hanging over a one-story building nearby. The demolition of this structure was completed recently. In Tangra, the fifth floor of another tilted G+4 building on Christopher Road was also removed. This building had caused nearby structures to tilt as well. KMC officials are now waiting for a structural engineer’s report. This report will help them decide if the entire building needs to be demolished or if they can keep it safe. Residents from the demolished Baghajatin building are expecting temporary housing from KMC. They had been promised assistance while they figure out plans for a new building on the cleared land. Meanwhile, the debris from the demolition will be removed in the coming days. The demolition was complicated due to the building’s location amid other structures. It required teamwork from three demolition agencies. Officials noted that a mistake could have caused serious problems. Residents were kept safe throughout the process. One affected resident, Anirban Maity, shared his concerns. He needs KMC's help for accommodation as he pays a bank loan and is also renting elsewhere. A KMC representative said that temporary rooms will be built for displaced residents once the demolition work ends.