PUNE: A recent survey has found approximately 100 century-old buildings in the Camp area to be structurally unsafe, uninhabitable, and prone to collapse. The Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) has now mandated that property owners submit redevelopment plans.
These dilapidated structures are mainly located in the older sections of the cantonment, including Dastur Meher Road, Sachapir Street, Bacchu Adda, Old Modikhana, and surrounding lanes.
Officials have warned that these weakened buildings pose significant risks to occupants and pedestrians, especially during the monsoon season. The board has served notices to multiple property owners, instructing them to vacate and begin redevelopment to avert potential tragedies.
PCB officiating executive engineer Vijay Chavan stated to TOI: “Notices have been issued to property owners to evacuate the premises for their safety. They will be held liable should any incidents occur due to structural failures.”
Chavan added, “We have also urged the owners to present plans for redeveloping these aging buildings into safer residential units, aiming to protect residents from dangerous living conditions.”
PCB officials indicated that out of around 260 old properties assessed, nearly 100 have been marked as unsafe due to the survey. Many of these structures were originally built using mud, mortar, and timber.
Local residents and activists have criticized the PCB for neglecting this issue for years, despite the deteriorating state of the buildings.
Activist Murtuza Poonawala remarked, “Each monsoon season, the board issues tenant notices and cautionary public advisories. This illustrates a lack of proactive measures. Despite multiple requests for decisive actions to demolish unsafe buildings, substantial changes have yet to be observed.”
Former PCB vice-president Priyanka Shirgiri mentioned that very few buildings have been redeveloped, while most remain in alarming conditions. “If substantial renovations are unfeasible, owners should at least perform basic repairs. Unfortunately, only a small number have been repaired over the last five years, leaving the majority in extremely dangerous circumstances,” she said.
PCB officials noted that redevelopment has often been hindered by disputes between landlords and tenants, many of whom continue to occupy the old buildings under legacy tenancy agreements, paying minimal rents of Rs2 to Rs10 per month.
A senior official from the engineering department explained, “When the buildings are redeveloped, tenants will need to pay rents according to the current market rates. This serves as a primary reason for the resistance against many redevelopment proposals, complicating the resolution process for the board.”
Shirgiri concluded, “As the monsoon season strengthens, immediate and long-term redevelopment or repairs are essential to mitigate the risks associated with these old properties.”
