Pune: They have now become some of the most dangerous structures in the Camp area , posing a risk to occupants and passers-by. But the Pune Cantonment Board , citizen activists said, is still dragging its feet on plans for relocation of residents, repair of these buildings and resolution of disputes between tenants and homeowners. Many of these disputes are currently in court, which means fixes cannot be carried out unless the matter is resolved.
A 2021 survey pegged the number of dilapidated homes and buildings in Camp, all in need of extensive repairs, at 100. On Saturday, a century old two-storeyed building fell on Jaffer Street, with debris only damaging a car parked nearby. The incident highlighted how risky such structures have become.
"Hundreds of people use Jaffer Street daily. We're all lucky the house didn't collapse onto the road," said one resident, shortly after the incident on Saturday. Citizen activists slammed the PCB for ignoring people's safety and called on officials to do more than just serve eviction notices.
"They never thought of this as a serious matter," said James Paul, a former president of the Pune Cantonment Tenants' Association. "Litigations have been pending in the courts for years. So what does that mean? That we continue to live near buildings that can fall on us at any moment? PCB should've organized meetings between tenants and owners to find solutions," Paul said, adding that the Board cannot simply shrug off the responsibility.
"And if sol.