Structural stability test yet to materialize
The present status of Margao Urban Health centre after the collapse of the facade on July 8.
MARGAO
A month and half after the facade of the Margao Urban Health Centre’s heritage building came crashing down, the PWD has drawn up plans to restore the damaged portion of the building at a cost of Rs nine lakh.
Even as the structural stability test on the heritage building has not materialized till date, the PWD, however, has decided to restore the damaged portion of the building irrespective of the structural stability test report.
PWD officials pointed out that estimates pegged around Rs nine lakh have been worked out to repair and restore the damaged portion of the Health Centre building.
The work includes restoration of the damaged façade, besides roofing the floor tiling and painting.
The PWD intends to complete the repair and restoration work before the agency takes up the work of demolition of the unsafe Hospicio annex building in the Hospicio complex. With the Margao Urban Health centre presently functioning from the Hospicio building (not the heritage building), sources pointed out that Urban health centre heritage building will be taken up on priority so that the health centre returns back to the heritage building at the earliest.
“The work of demolition of the unsafe building in the old Hospicio complex will take place only after the Margao Urban health centre is shifted back to the heritage building. For, it would not be possible to carry out the demolition operation at the unsafe building when the health centre is operating from the old Hospicio complex”, sources said.
The façade of the Margao Urban Health centre had crumbled on July 8 last in the wee hours of the day.
The incident had thrown up a host of questions over the structural stability of the heritage buildings, which has been craving for attention from the government over the years.
