Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has allowed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to demolish a century-old dilapidated building in south Mumbai and directed its occupants to vacate the premises. In an order passed on August 11, the high court said the building 'H N Petit Widows Home' is located on a busy road and any untoward incident can lead to a major accident.

A division bench of Justices RD Dhanuka and Kamal Khata upheld the decision of the BMC Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and said that the building is in a dilapidated and dangerous condition and hence it should be demolished. Based on the committee's report, the BMC had sent a letter to the landlord of the building in April this year to vacate the premises. Some occupants of the building and tenants running shops on its ground floor, however, refused to vacate the premises and moved the court, saying the building needed only minor repairs.

The five-storey building is more than 100 years old. It is used to provide hostel facilities to widows. Due to the poor condition of the building, the widows living here were shifted to another hostel in 2019. In October 2021, the BMC held a structural audit meeting, which concluded that the building was in a dilapidated condition and could collapse. This poses a threat to the lives of not only residents but also passersby.

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