RAWALPINDI: With the start of monsoon rains, residents of 183 old buildings declared dangerous by civic agencies in the city and cantonment areas are spending sleepless nights as they are neither able to leave the structures nor get them reconstructed.

After a survey of old and dilapidated buildings in the city, the Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation (RMC) declared 83 buildings dangerous. Similarly, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has declared 100 buildings dangerous, 45 of them most dangerous, and issued notices to the residents to vacate them or get them repaired.

According to the RMC, the buildings are located in Bohar Bazaar, Naya Mohallah, Lunda Bazaar, New Sarafa Bazaar, Chittian Hattian, Bhabara Bazaar, Nishtarabad, Chachhi Mohallah, Allam Khan Road, Mohallah Niarian, Mohallah Waris Khan, Saidpuri Gate, Shah Chan Chiragh Mohallah, Talwaran Bazaar, Mochi Bazaar, Purana Qila, Raja Bazaar, Rani Bazaar and Chowk Bansanwala.

Year after year, the civic bodies have been issuing notices to owners of dangerous buildings in the monsoon season but their campaigns end up without any practical solution to the issue.

Notices issued to owners of 183 dilapidated residences to either repair or vacate them

In the cantonment area, the dangerous buildings are mostly on old grant lease and the tenants are waiting for the extension of the lease without which they cannot make any modification to the structures.

On the other hand, residents of such buildings in the city area are of the view that most of the houses were owned by joint families or had multiple ownership so they were not ready to spend money on their repair or reconstruction.

In some buildings, more than three families reside and they say they have no money to repair the buildings and the government should do something for them.

“Yes, there are many buildings in the jurisdiction of RMC and if these buildings are not renovated or vacated, they could collapse during heavy rains or earthquakes and also affect nearby areas,” RMC Municipal Officer Architecture Ali Imran told Dawn on Sunday.

He said the civic agency had served notices on owners of 83 buildings and also published notices in newspapers to warn them about the condition of the buildings.

“We informed the owners and residents to repair the buildings or vacate them in the rainy season but we are unable to provide them any alternative residences as all these buildings are private property,” he added.

However, Mr Imran said there was a need for a government policy about the fate of such buildings as some people residing there were unable to move to other places.

He said the civic body would seal the buildings owned by any government department.

When contacted, RCB spokesman Qaiser Mehmood said 100 buildings in the cantonment areas had been declared dangerous, adding that these structures had been constructed before partition. He said 45 buildings were found most dangerous and they might fall any time during heavy rains.

He said these buildings were located in Saddar Bazaar, Ahata Mitho Khan, Kashmir Road and adjoining areas. The owners have been asked to take measures to avoid any untoward situation.

About the issue of old grant leases, he said the last date to renew the leases was December 2021 and a number of people had submitted applications.

“Yes, tenants cannot modify the structure of a lease property but they can repair it. However, till their lease agreement is renewed, the residents have been asked to make alternative arrangements,” Mr Mehmood said.

He said there was no policy to pull down any old building and provide alternative to the residents. “So, we just issued notices to inform the residents about the condition of their residences,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2021