The highest risk to dilapidated houses, of course, comes with the monsoons, when moisture and gusty winds weaken structures. In summer, however, more people are exposed to fatal accidents as they prefer to sleep in balconies to escape the heat and humidity indoors.

Jamal Pathan (15) and Asgarali Pathan (17) were sleeping in the balcony when the wall of an under-construction building collapsed on them. On hearing about their deaths, the Shindes in Kaasar falia of Salatwada only had providence to thank that they had heeded the danger signals and shifted out of the old house they tenanted, for it finally gave way on April 9.

According to the conservative estimates of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation, however, people still reside in 200 dilapidated buildings -- mostly in the old city and the walled city -- because their rents were extremely low.

Jhoharabibi Shaikh has been living in her old house in Mahavat falia for more than 35 years. Now even her married sons stay here. She sleeps in the balcony where any outsider would fear to tread. Jhoharabibi, however, claims there isn't much risk involved as the house is made of bamboo.

In December 1998, Municipal Commissioner G R Aloria had told Express Newsline that he would initiate a survey of endangered houses. When contacted on Monday, however, he claimed that surveying the entire city was ``not possible''.

Asked about an extant survey of houses, he said the work had been delayed by the transfer of power at the zonal offices.

On being told that structural engineers' certificates were not always forthcoming in the case of dilapidated structure, Aloria instructed City Engineer B K Desai to issue a proper circular. Sources said not many would challenge the assistant additional engineers in the face of such certificates.

According to highly placed sources, most endangered buildings were ensnared in legal battles. In such cases, the VMC could often do nothing, said Desai, who is also a zonal commissioner.

With the civic body apparently running out of options, Aloria suggested that citizens wake up to the hazards of living in endangered houses. He added, however, that if a structural engineer's certificate was obtained for every house in obvious bad shape, the tenant or landlord could be forced to evict under the BPMC Act.

But that doesn't discourage people like Ibrahim Shaikh, a resident of a ramshackle house in Panjrigar Mohalla. His brother Yakub Shaikh said, ``It is risky but one has to have money for renovation. But the house will be demolished soon and a new structure will come up''.