Iconic building to come down?

A Division Bench comprising Justices Satish K. Agnihotri and M. Venugopal gave the directive while dismissing an appeal filed by M/s P.ORR & Sons against a single judge’s order which rejected its petition challenging the civic body’s notice. The bench noted that the company was a tenant occupying the entire premises at Door No.22/855, Anna Salai, while M/s Associated Publishers private limited was the owner of the land and building. The company was served with a notice, calling upon it to fence off the rear old building and take down the 123 year-old building.

It was also instructed to take adequate safety measures to prop the remaining portion of the structure to avoid any untoward incident. The single judge during the pendency of the petition, constituted a committee, which inspected the property and submitted a report stating that the structure was unsafe.The Bench said that the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Structural Engineering Research Centre inspected the building in respect of design and structure and also durability.

“On examination of the reports placed before the single judge as well as the report presented to this Bench, we find that the structure in question is incapable of being repaired or restored. Even photographs have been placed before us which clearly indicate the precarious condition of the building. We do not find any infirmity in the order passed by the single judge.”The IIT, Madras has said the remaining of the end and return walls are structurally in a precarious condition and pose a serious threat.

Excavations for the ancillary facilities of the upcoming government estate station of the Chennai metro are expected to begin at a distance of two meters from the damaged structure. Drilling and movement of heavy equipment in the vicinity of such a damaged structure can affect its stability further.The building does not have any particular heritage value (not listed in Justice E. Padmanaban committee report).

The IIT, Madras, has recommended demolition of at least two bays of the workshop building from the damaged corner is warranted. The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-Structural Engineering Research Centre opined that the walls and floors of the building in question, was in the precarious condition and may pose threat to the safety of the occupants and surrounding structures in the present condition.