Deputy CM announces first phase of safety audit for city's govt buildings

27 June,2012 09:38 AM IST |   |  Priyankka Deshpande

Ajit Pawar says all govt buildings over 50 years old will be inspected for structural, electrical and fire safety; 1st phase of audit to cover 16 of 96 buildings listed by PWD


Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar announced yesterday that a mandatory structural, electrical and fire safety audit would be conducted at 16 government buildings in the city that are over 50 years old. The Public Works Department (PWD) had listed 96 government buildings for the audit, but the first phase will cover 16 buildings.


Mantralaya fire effect? Deputy CM Ajit Pawar addresses the media at Vidhan Bhavan yesterday. Pic/Krunal Gosavi

Pawar's announcement came while addressing the media after a crucial meeting with top government and PMC officials, where the decision was taken to conduct the audit. u00a0The Central Building, New Administrative Building, Vidhan Bhavan and the office of the commissioner of police are among the 16 buildings listed for the safety audit. u00a0The decision came after the massive blaze recently at Mantralaya, which claimed lives, damaged three floors of the building and destroyed government files.u00a0

"The PWD has listed 96 government buildings in the city, out of which 25 are under 50 years old. For the first phase, 16 buildings have been selected for the safety audit," Pawar said. u00a0He added that seven squads would be deployed to undertake the structural safety audit and carry out ‘non destructive testing', under which the columns, beams and roof would be checked. Repair work would be started immediately if any serious structural lapses are found.

The Dy CM said that besides the structural and electrical safety audit, a fire audit would also be done at all state level offices in the city as well as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and ZP buildings. u00a0"The fire audit would only be done by the 13 companies which have been approved by the PMC," Pawar said. He added that it would be mandatory to conduct all three audits - structural, electrical and fire safety - at the 16 listed buildings as well as the PMC, PCMC and Zilla Parishad buildings beforeJuly 15.

Regarding the destroyed files at the Mantralaya, the Dy CM gave assurance that all files would be recovered. "Those who have lost files can make complaints at SETU facilitation centre at the respective district level so their files can be recovered with the help of the finance department, which generally has records that come to various departments of the Mantralaya," Pawar said.u00a0

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Rs 1.68 cr for fire safety at PMC
The 58-year old main building of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) at Shivajinagar already has 160 fire extinguishers, but is set to get Rs 1.68 crore for additional fire-fighting equipment. The decision was formally taken during the civic body's Standing Committee meeting yesterday.u00a0

No sparing hookah parlours, says Ajit Pawar
On the law and order situation in the city, Dy CM Ajit Pawar said he had given directions to the police to continue to take action against hookah parlours as well as illegal banners and flexes in the city. "I am also aware about incidents of gang-wars among groups during toran ceremony in Dhanakawadi and I have decided to ban this ceremony as it creates tension among residents," Pawar said. On the issue of appointment of Pune rural SP, Pawar said this was the prerogative of the Home Minister and the Chief Minister.
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