Jadavpur University’s Department of Civil Engineering will inspect dilapidated houses at Bowbazar in Kolkata. The Calcutta Municipality has started the survey work with the expert team of Jadavpur University to verify the condition of the damaged houses. This was stated by Mayor Firhad Hakim at Kolkata Pur Bhaban on Friday.
On August 31, 2019; 23 houses in Durga Pituri Lane and Sekrapara Lane were completely destroyed while digging a tunnel on the East-West Metro in Bowbazar. Another 23 houses are in critical condition. About 90 families have been homeless since that day three years ago. Fourteen houses got new cracks appeared in them on Wednesday night. As promised by KMRCL, houses for the homeless in Bowbazar have not been built in three years. A month ago, the local councillor, Biswarup Dey put forward a proposal in the monthly session of the Municipality to finish the work of building houses for them soon.
Based on that proposal, the municipality was scheduled to hold a meeting with KMRCL authorities on Friday as per the pre-arranged schedule. In the meantime, the meeting became more important as cracks appeared in 14 new houses in Bowbazar last Wednesday. Apart from the officials of Calcutta Municipality, KMRCL; an expert team of Jadavpur University was also present at the meeting. MLA Nayana Bandyopadhyay, Tapas Roy and local councillor Biswarup Dey were also present.
After the meeting, Mayor Firhad Hakim said, “An expert team from Jadavpur University will inspect the health of the houses in the metro project area under construction at Bowbazar. In order to check the overall condition of the houses, Jadavpur University has asked the KMRCL authorities to report on several issues related to the soil test of those houses and their surroundings. KMRCL will submit reports on about five issues to the Kolkata Municipality within a week.”
On the same day, the mayor complained, “KMRCL’s promise was to build houses for the homeless within three years. But even after two years and nine months, not a single brick was laid. It’s very painful.” The mayor further alleged that, “The victims had complained to local MLA Nayana Banerjee that they were being insulted when they approached the KMRCL representatives. Remember, their houses broke down while people were working on the metro. KMRCL should apologize to the victims.”
The mayor also complained that, the area’s sewers were blocked by a mixture of cement and water for the metro’s work. The local councillor has complained that more water is accumulating than before even due to a little rain. The mayor said that an application has been made to KMRCL to repair the sewerage pipes. From next Monday, the office of Councillor Biswarup Dey will have arrangements to hear the complaints of the victims. Firhad said, KMRCL representatives had promised to be there regularly. He further said, that the expert team of Jadavpur University will verify and report which houses will be demolished and which houses will be kept in the metro project area under construction at Bowbazar. In the next case, a meeting will be held with the Chief Secretary in Navanna regarding the final report, the mayor said.