In the wake of multiple structural failures in Margao, including the July 19 collapse of a house near Colaco Hospital and the partial balcony slab collapse at Holy Family House on June 10, 2025, the South Goa District Administration has stepped up action against unsafe buildings.
As per a reply tabled in the State Assembly by Atanasio Monserrate, the South Goa Collector has issued demolition directions for Indira Apartments and Cabeca de Calcondem, both flagged as structurally unsafe. Demolition execution is currently pending with the Executive Engineer of the Public Works Department (Buildings).
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In the case of Holy Family House, a vacation order has been issued, and staircases have been sealed by the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) to prevent access and ensure public safety.
The administration has invoked Clause 49 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, under which compensation will be provided to affected persons in such incidents. The state government has also initiated a coordinated response, including preparatory and review meetings chaired by the Secretary (Revenue) and the Chief Minister. Similar reviews have taken place under the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and at the Taluka level.
To prevent further disasters, guidelines have been issued to district collectors and line departments for the timely identification, inspection, and auditing of aging buildings. The MMC has already flagged 21 unsafe structures. Acting on this, the Collector (South) has directed the Executive Engineer (Buildings), WD VIII, PWD Fatorda, to obtain structural stability reports in collaboration with Goa Engineering College (GEC), Farmagudi.
GEC has submitted a proposal for structural condition assessments, which includes a tentative schedule for initial site visits and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) of the identified buildings.
These proactive measures come at a time when public concern over building safety in urban areas like
