Kapadvanj (Gujarat), June 19 As heavy monsoon rains loom over Gujarat, the Kapadvanj Municipality in Kheda district has issued demolition notices to more than 20 property owners, targeting dilapidated and structurally unsafe buildings that pose a serious threat to public safety.
The move comes as the monsoon advances and fears of building collapses grow.
The municipality’s Chief Officer warned that if the identified structures are not taken down promptly, property owners will be held legally accountable for any loss of life or injuries caused by potential collapses.
“If any incident occurs due to your negligence, criminal action will be taken under relevant laws,” the notice warns, placing full responsibility on the owners.
In several cases, notices were issued to tenants instead of absentee landlords, particularly where owners have been living outside the town for years.
Officials admitted they had not received responses from such property owners and had proceeded by alerting current occupants. The urgency stems from a tragic incident last year, where a minor pedestrian died after a crumbling building collapsed in Kapadvanj.
The accident sparked outrage among residents, who blamed both negligent landlords and municipal inaction.
As the monsoon advances across Gujarat, several municipalities across the state have begun issuing urgent demolition and evacuation notices to owners of dilapidated and structurally unsafe buildings, aiming to prevent potential casualties due to building collapses.
In cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara, and smaller towns such as Kapadvanj, Mehsana, and Bhavnagar, civic bodies have launched inspections and surveys of old constructions, many of which are over 40 to 50 years old and are in visibly poor condition.
The Urban Development Department has directed all municipalities and nagarpalikas to identify high-risk properties and act without delay.
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has identified 513 residential units in central and northern zones as "dangerous" ahead of the upcoming Rath Yatra (June 27). These properties have been ordered evacuated or marked with warning notices; water and sewer services have been cut in 190 units for non-compliance. An additional 1,308 units have received formal notices for structural repairs.
In Surat, the municipal corporation has issued notices to owners of over 1,500 dilapidated buildings in the Limbayat area, urging urgent repairs or demolition. The move is part of monsoon preparedness to avert tragic collapses.
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