BHUBANESWAR: Recent government assessments presented by Works Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan in the ongoing Budget session have identified 120 unsafe buildings across 18 districts.
According to the Minister, Cuttack has the highest number of unsafe buildings at 22, followed by Bargarh with 11. Various structures, including school buildings, hospitals, staff quarters, and government offices, have been marked as unsafe, prompting local authorities to take necessary action.
The Minister urged local bodies in districts like Khurda, Ganjam, Rayagada, Nuapada, and Bargarh to intensify field surveys of aging government quarters, school buildings, and private commercial units to propose demolitions or reconstructions of identified structures.
Urban safety experts noted that these unsafe buildings, under the jurisdiction of the Works Department, represent just a fraction of the total. Urban planner Dipu Nanda emphasized the urgent need for government intervention following these alarming findings.
On November 8 last year, a tragic incident occurred when an old apartment’s balcony collapsed, leading to the deaths of a five-year-old and two others, while two more suffered critical injuries. This prompted the Cuttack Municipal Corporation to take corrective measures after local officials reported that the structure had been neglected despite ongoing community concerns.
