NMC to demolish iconic Yashwant Mandai building through a private agency

Nashik: The civic body has decided to demolish the iconic Yashwant Mandai, a four-storied shopping complex in Raviwar Karanja area of the city. The building is around 60 years' old.
Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC)'s decision comes after a fresh structural audit of the building by a city-based engineering college found the structure unsafe.
NMC has told the 17 tenants at Yashwant Mandai to vacate the complex.
NMC officials said they have decided to demolish the building with the help of a private agency, which will be finalised through a tendering process.
"Presently, we are in the process of preparing tender documents. The tender is expected to be floated in the next few days. The agency will be finalised after the tender process," said an official from the public works department of the civic body.
Earlier, in July 2016, NMC had conducted a structural audit of the building through a private agency. The audit revealed it was unfit for occupation.
Last year, NMC administration had served notices to all tenants of Yashwant Mandai, telling them to vacate the building. NMC had issued notices to tenants four times between July and November 2023.
Thereafter, the tenants moved Bombay High Court last year. As per the directive of the court, the civic body conducted a fresh structural audit of the building in December last year through a Nashik-based engineering college, which also revealed that the structure was unsafe and not fit for occupation. The court had rejected the plea of tenants on February 27 this year.
Later, NMC recently issued a public notice, telling the tenants to vacate the building.
The foundation of this iconic building was laid on December 19, 1965, by then defence minister and MP of Nashik Yashwantrao Chavan. The structure was constructed by Nashik Municipal Council.