Declared unsafe in 2018, the multi-storey structure had stood untouched for years despite repeated warnings from engineers and district authorities
The long-awaited demolition of Margão’s unsafe Cabeça de Calcondem building has finally begun, marking the end of a seven-year saga of bureaucratic delay and civic inaction.
Located in the heart of Goa’s commercial capital, the multi-storey structure was declared unsafe by the Goa College of Engineering in 2018, following a structural stability test that found the building beyond repair. Despite the report, the structure remained standing for years, posing a potential danger to nearby residents and passers-by.
A seven-year struggle for safety
Apartment owner Collin Coelho, who first approached the Margão Municipal Council (MMC) in 2018 seeking demolition, said his seven-year struggle has finally come to an end.
“It’s been a long fight. The building was clearly declared unsafe years ago, yet it took this long for action,” Coelho said.
Coelho’s efforts first triggered the process when he wrote to the MMC, submitting the 2018 stability report from the Goa College of Engineering. However, his repeated appeals to the civic body and higher authorities went unanswered, with the matter stuck in bureaucratic limbo.
Orders ignored for years
In November 2023, then South Goa District Collector Asvin Chandru (IAS) issued an order under the Disaster Management Act, directing the MMC to demolish the structure. Yet, between November 2023 and May 2025, no action was taken, even as verandas of other old buildings in the city began collapsing.
Momentum finally picked up after a series of building collapses in Margão in May 2024, which prompted the current District Collector Egna Cletus to intervene. She instructed the PWD Division VIII Executive Engineer to execute the demolition under Section 30(2) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, to prevent potential loss of life and property.
Her order also led to the closure of a footwear showroom that had continued to operate on the ground floor of the unsafe building.
Civic body cited lack of funds and manpower
The intervention came after MMC Chief Officer Melvyn Vaz admitted the civic body’s inability to carry out the demolition due to a shortage of funds and manpower.
Following the district collector’s directive, demolition work finally began earlier this week — nearly seven years after the original safety report.
Demolition now underway
The demolition is being carried out by a private contractor hired by the building owners, at an estimated cost of 7.5 lakh rupees, and is expected to be completed within two weeks.
For residents and officials alike, the long-delayed demolition serves as a reminder of the need for stronger civic response to unsafe structures in Goa’s ageing urban centre
