Residents evacuate Dalhousie unsafe building, shift to hotel

KOLKATA: The logistics were in place but the apprehension over the temporary displacement was unmistakable on the faces of 26 residents of 10 Old Court House Street, who shifted out of their crumbling structure on Tuesday and checked into a hotel.

Around 3pm, the first batch of three families was ferried in vehicles provided by the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation, the implementing agency of East-West Metro. Before leaving, Krishna Rao, who sells shoes, said, “Four days of luxury can’t compensate for the inconvenience we are going through. I won’t be able to do any business.”

Not knowing how their family would cope with an unknown lifestyle, Md Haider Ali, Parmatma Rawat and Dipak Singh have shifted them out of the city. While Ali has sent his wife and children to his brother’s place in Howrah, contract labourer Rawat has sent his family to Ballia in Uttar Pradesh. Singh’s family is living at his “gaon” in Bihar’s Chhapra. “My wife was scared to move to a hotel; she prefers her own mud-house in Bihar,” he said.

At the hotel, security guard

Rajesh Ram

was anxious to know if he would get his dinner by 7pm, before leaving for night shift. He felt relieved when the hotel staff cordially assured him.

But everyone was not complaining.

Ashok Chaudhury

, a paanwallah who has his shop at 10 Old Court House Street and resides in the same premises, pointed at his small bag: “We have been asked to carry only a few clothes. The rest will be provided at the hotel. It’s like going on a holiday.”

Baidyanath Das of J Sur & Co has already started enjoying his “holiday” at his Howrah home: “I want to make full use of the four days of holidays. We have been asked to keep our shop closed for our own safety.” The business establishments haven’t been provided with hotel stay because they have night shelters.

The next building, 8 Old Court House, will be evacuated on Wednesday instead of Saturday.