Team sets date for demolition of Airgate Centre

By COLLINS OMULO
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Airgate Centre, formerly known as Taj Mall, will be demolished in the course of this week, the Nairobi Regeneration Committee has said.

Head of operations Julius Wanjau said the multiagency team will begin flattening the building once they are done demolishing South End Mall in Lang'ata.

"We are hopeful to clear South End Mall before next week. We have given the owners ample time to comply with the notice before we move in starting next week. The demolition of Airgate will take place anytime within the week but we will communicate on the same," he said on Saturday.

The owner of the building, Mr Rameshchandra Govino Gorasia, had been given 14 days to bring the six storey structure down, but he remained defiant.

The chairman of the committee, Mr Moses Nyakiongora, said the building situated at the junction of Outer Ring Road has encroached on the road reserve hindering its expansion.

DEFIANCE

But the property manager, Mr Amos Mogire, said they are still operational.

"For us we are continuing with our business. We are still operational and we have not even moved our offices," he said on Thursday last week at the premises.

Mr Mogire added that they do not recognise the notice, claiming it had no letterhead, no LR number and no stamp.

The team was established to demolish buildings built on riparian land.