Abandoned havelis in Bhiwani a nightmare for residents

Sat Singh

Tribune News Service

Bhiwani, August 17

Anand Soni of Badi Mohalla here had a close shave on Sunday night after an adjacent haveli in a dilapidated condition crumbled.

Recalling the horror, Anand said fortunately there was no loss of lives, but the structure fell with such force that had an iron almirah not been placed near his bed, they would have been buried alive under the rubble. Anand said: “We had asked the haveli owner who lives in a different locality to take care so as to avoid any major mishap, but he did not pay heed to our pleas.”

He said the Nagar Parishad officials were also informed about the lurking danger several times but to no avail. He said, “My five-year-old son has been in trauma since Sunday night after the incident occurred. The roof of my house and the main gate has been damaged, and I will have to shell out a huge amount to get it repaired.”

Sources say there are around 50 havelis that exist in Bhiwani town that were abandoned by their owners as they moved out several years ago and are inaccessible to the people or the administration.

Most of such buildings are located at Denod gate, Pathram gate, Bichla Bazar, Naya Bazar and Badi Mohalla. Nagar Parishad Executive Officer Hardeep Singh said the administration served notices to such haveli owners who shifted to another location by shutting the havelis in 2012.

Advocate Pawan Anchal, president of Bhiwani Sudhar & Vikas Samiti said the Nagar Parishad has adopted a passive attitude towards the genuine problem of the residents as they do their duties by serving notices to abandoned building owners.

“There is a provision in law to get these houses dismantled by taking permission from court and taking action against the house owners,” he added.