Bhubaneswar: In a major push to enhance public safety and prevent accidents caused by dilapidated structures, the state govt has intensified its drive to identify and act against unsafe buildings across the state a day after its announcement.Housing and urban development minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra on Tuesday said the govt has already completed an assessment of unsafe govt buildings and issued notices wherever required. Following a fresh review by the department, officials have been directed to expedite action against structures found to be unsafe.“Based on the assessment, all govt buildings identified as unsafe have been examined and notices issued. I held another review with the department yesterday. Very soon, demolition notices will be issued for buildings found to be unsafe,” Mahapatra said.The minister said the govt would take prompt action against unsafe buildings under housing department. In cases where such structures belong to other govt departments, the matter will be referred to the respective authorities for necessary action. “Whichever unsafe buildings fall under our department, we will act. If they belong to other departments, we will coordinate with them and inform them so that appropriate steps can be taken,” he said.The state govt has also decided to bring private buildings within the ambit of the safety assessment exercise. Owners of privately-owned structures found to be dangerous or structurally weak will be served notices in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.To ensure a comprehensive assessment, the govt has constituted a special inquiry and inspection team with a 15-day mandate. The team will inspect buildings identified as potentially unsafe, assess their structural stability and submit a report within the stipulated period.Mahapatra said further action, including demolition, would be taken based on the team’s findings. “The inquiry team will conduct a thorough investigation. After inspection, whichever buildings are found to fall under the unsafe category will be demolished,” he said.Officials said the initiative is intended as a preventive measure to identify structural vulnerabilities before they lead to accidents, loss of life or damage to property. Buildings found unfit for occupation or beyond repair will face statutory action, including demolition where necessary.The department will coordinate with ULBs and other govt departments to ensure that inspections, notices and follow-up action are carried out in a systematic and time-bound manner.
