Chandigarh: A series of almost undetectable earthquakes in Chandigarh in the beginning of May has set the Chandigarh government on the alert and the Master Plan for Chandigarh redevelopment will include structural auditing of buildings.Chandigarh falls in the Seismic Zone IV and this is one of the major zones that are under the threat of earthquakes at any time. Buildings which have been built without clearances required for construction in the area or which have been built without required provision will be scrutinized to ensure their safety. In cases it is needed, the buildings will be audited and redeveloped.A large number of buildings were initially allotted as single-storey but additional floors have been constructed flouting structural safety norms. Such buildings will be structurally audited. The rehabilitation colonies abound in such houses.UT Chief Architect Sumit Kaur says, “Some areas have been identified where there is a need for structural auditing. Once auditing is done, plans will be drawn up for making these structures safe.”A survey was carried out to inspect the condition of buildings and it was found that many buildings do not have good brick quality or do not have enough mortar between bricks. Buildings with unplastered walls are prone to salt attack and hence have less durability as well as less reliability in case of an earthquake. Cantilever projections on either side of narrow lanes have also made the lanes unsafe.The survey also found that four storeyed non-engineered buildings are much weaker and the bending and forces that are caused during earthquakes would bring these buildings down. Some buildings even have staircases resting on cantilever slabs.Chandigarh lies close to the Himalayas which are the most seismically active zones in the world. Therefore the importance of constructing structurally safe buildings cannot be overrated in this region. займ на карту без отказов круглосуточновзять кредит онлайн