MARGAO: The owner of the sole commercial unit located in the ‘unsafe’ building in Margao has applied to the Goa Engineering College (GEC) to conduct a repeat structural stability test. The owner is willing to bear the cost of the test. This development comes in connection with the trade license issued for the unit.
The unit’s owner informed the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) that he was denied the opportunity to prove the stability of the ground floor, where his shop is located. He also claimed ignorance of the building’s ‘unsafe’ status, as he did not receive a copy of the structural stability test report or any notice.
Approximately two months ago, the South Goa collector had ordered the MMC Chief Officer (CO) to demolish the structure. The owner’s position was revealed during a hearing
related to the revocation of the trade license initiated by the MMC.
The unit owner had obtained a trade license through the government’s online facility, which processes applications once all the required documents are submitted, without a site inspection by the civic body. Concerned about potential trade licenses being granted to units in other unsafe buildings, the CO instructed the technical department to mark all unsafe buildings whose owners received notices under the Goa Municipalities Act.
