Demolish 'illegal, unsafe' buildings: Shahberi residents urge Greater Noida Authority

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In the aftermath of Supertech's twin tower demolition in Noida, a group of homebuyers in Greater Noida's Shahberi area has written to local authorities demanding their "illegal" houses, declared "dangerous" in an IIT Delhi audit, be demolished. The group -- Justice For Shaberi Homebuyers -- has demanded that after the demolition of the illegal structures, they should allot homes as per norms of the Uttar Pradesh Rehabilitation Act 2013. Shahberi, which lies in Greater Noida (West) also known as Noida Extension, hogged the limelight on July 17, 2018, when two adjoining buildings collapsed onto each other, leaving nine people, including a child and two women, dead. Subsequent probe reports by the district administration and the local authority found the buildings had come up illegally and without proper approval, as did several other structures in the area.

In a letter to the district administration and the Greater Noida Authority last week, the homebuyers requested the demolition of the "illegally constructed, unsafe buildings" in Shahberi. They said living in those "unsafe buildings" is dangerous for life as they were declared dangerous by the IIT Delhi Team in a structural audit report in 2019. "We have requested for demolition of residential buildings APS Ashiyana, APS Ashiyana 2, APS Heights, APS Royal Homes, APS Crystal Homes and APS Gold Homes," said Sachin Raghav, a Shahberi resident.

Abhinav Khare, another resident, said a team of IIT Delhi had conducted a building safety survey in Shahberi under the direction of the previous CEO of the Greater Noida Authority and found that these buildings are not safe for living. "The audit had found that living in these buildings is dangerous for life as buildings can fall anytime," he said. Meena Mohapatra, a Shahberi homebuyer living in one such building, also raised this demand. "Even the IIT Delhi audit found that several buildings in Shahberi are a safety hazard, risking the lives of residents. We want these buildings to be demolished and we are provided with homes in different areas as per government norms," Mohapatra, who lives in Shahberi's Dev Homes, said. Raghav alleged the Greater Noida Authority had in 2018 only ordered sealing and demolition of the illegal structures but no action has been taken yet. "In the light of the above-mentioned facts and circumstances, I humbly pray to your good self to take immediate action over the above-mentioned buildings and demolish them," they urged in their September 5 letter to the local authority and the administration.

According to officials, Shahberi falls in the notified area of the Greater Noida Authority where no construction is allowed without its approval. In the wake of the twin building collapse on July 17, 2018, around 80 FIRs were lodged over illegal constructions in the area and action was taken against more than 50 builders, the officials said. In the 'Building Structural Safety Audit' of 426 buildings situated in village Shahberi in 2019, IIT Delhi's report recommended that the structural survey, analysis, testing and strengthening programme be followed for the buildings in various categories. 

"Utmost care must be taken to ensure the safety of the occupants of the buildings and the survey and testing team while the above programme is executed. Buildings must be evacuated and sealed in cases where signs of structural distress, including tilting and cracking, are visible," the report stated.  "In addition, it is recommended that lining of the open drains in the area be carried out to prevent failure of foundations," it stated, among others.

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