• Poor building maintenance in Colombo Metropolitan Area 

The National Building Research Institute (NBRI) has identified and processed approximately 75 buildings and structures within the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) limits for critical structural integrity audits following reports of structural distress, said Dammika Kahahengoda of the Structural Engineering Research and Project Management Division at the NBRI.

Kahahengoda further told The Daily Morning yesterday (10) that a subset of the 75 inspected structures was found to have irreversible age-related deterioration and structural defects, prompting the NBRI to issue formal technical recommendations for their complete demolition. The Institute also specifically flagged 21 buildings exhibiting unsafe structural alterations or unauthorised vertical extensions.

Kahahengoda also noted that it has expanded the assessments on buildings and other structures within the CMC limits and beyond to ensure safe dwelling for everyone. “In a bid to prevent any possible disaster from occurring in buildings, the NBRI continuously monitors the conditions of residential apartments, structures and other buildings within the flood-prone areas within the CMC limits and beyond to confirm the quality and to ensure whether they are suitable for dwelling,” Kahahengoda stated.

She further stated that approximately 150 to 200 clearance certificates are issued on decay-related conditions in existing buildings and while selecting sites for construction within the Colombo City limits and the rest of Sri Lanka to ensure safe construction.

Commenting on the quality and conditions of existing buildings within the Colombo City, Kahahengoda stated that there are buildings, sometimes, even 150 years old and beyond, and they need proper monitoring to ensure their quality or suitability for human living by individually visiting the respective places or buildings. After completely checking the building or any other structure, approval will be granted to renovate or demolish them, according to Kahahengoda. Through such programmes, the NBRI aims to alleviate residents’ concerns about the structural safety of buildings while ensuring the protection of the occupants, Kahahengoda noted. She further stated that the poor maintenance of buildings in the Colombo Metropolitan Area has become a significant issue, as it leads to the deterioration of buildings and the corrosion of reinforcements, typically made of steel, which strengthen the concrete or masonry. Buildings must be properly maintained to ensure their durability.