HT Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, Dec 3: The Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation (DMC) on Wednesday demolished an unauthorised four-storied commercial building in the Loharpatty area after it was found to be structurally unsafe and constructed in complete violation of the Assam Unified Building Construction (Regulation) Bye-Laws, 2022.
The action followed a tragic incident on November 19, when 52-year-old Salma Begum died after construction materials fell from the upper floors of the structure while she was washing utensils in the courtyard of her home below. The multi-storied RCC building (G+4), built by Mohd Yunus Khan on a plot measuring just 7.75 Ls, had been sealed immediately after the accident.
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According to officials, the DMC had issued multiple notices to Khan, beginning with a stop-construction order on November 20, which also demanded all relevant documentation. However, the response submitted by the builder was deemed “not satisfactory,” prompting further scrutiny.
A structural inspection conducted by the corporation confirmed that the building had been erected without any official permission and posed a severe safety risk. In his final demolition order, DMC Commissioner Jay Vikas wrote: “It is also observed that the said building is structurally unsafe and may collapse at any time and its continued existence endangers the safety of the public. In view of the extreme risk posed, it is imperative to demolish the said structure immediately.”
The demolition was also influenced by rising public pressure following the fatality. After the structure was brought down on Wednesday, local resident Naseer Hussain welcomed the move but voiced concern that it took a loss of life for authorities to act. “This action was necessary, but it shouldn’t have taken a tragedy for the authorities to act. We are relieved that this dangerous structure is finally down and we hope the DMC continues to monitor illegal construction across the city to prevent another loss of life,” he said.
The corporation has indicated that further action may be taken against the builder for violating safety and planning norms.
