Illegal multi-storey complex collapses

A multi-storey commercial complex situated at Ghake Shah Mill, on the rear of the Bombay Metal Gill road, near Vishwakarma Chowk, collapsed on Sunday. More than half of the complex collapsed while the remaining portion is hanging in between.

The complex was built about 10 to 15 years ago only. Unfortunately, it was built illegally and despite passing of over a decade, the authorities have failed to take any action against its owner. In fact, the owner had also reportedly sold shops to many people but the exact details of buyers was yet to be verified.

Shopkeepers in the market had also reportedly apprised Municipal Corporation officials regarding its unsafe status and also repeatedly asked the officials concerned to demolish the structure to prevent a collapse but nobody paid heed.

Even on Sunday morning, a chartered accountant, Vijay Sood, whose office is situated opposite to the building, had also sent a complaint to the corporation after he noticed cracks in its pillars. A few hours after his complaint, the building collapsed.

Fortunately, when the building collapsed, nobody was present near the structure. Hence, no loss of lives or injuries to any persons reported in the incident. Even the market was also closed due to Sunday. Some people standing at a distance from the scene had also captured the fall of the building in their mobile phones.

The complaint

The structure shows signs of severe distress — visible major cracks, tilting walls, falling pillars, chunks of plaster falling off — which pose a grave risk to people of the area. I kindly request that the authorities concerned should conduct an immediate structural safety inspection. For your reference, I have attached photographs and a brief video. For public safety, especially being a crowded office area, I request you to please arrange for immediate barricading till the structure is deemed safe.”

Assistant Town Planner Aamir Latif said he had recently shifted to Ludhiana and he would check the MC records on Monday. About the owner of the building, Aamir said let him check the record first, then further action would be taken accordingly. For precautionary purpose, one adjoining building was vacated as the remaining portion of the building may also fall. Otherwise, the area was isolated, he added.

Upender Yadav, a migrant who stays in the same locality, said the complex was lying idle for the past few years. Even some drug addicts had been using the complex to consume drugs and some anti-social elements too used to barge into the building.

The recent incidents

A big portion of the ancestral house of businessman Anand Mahindra, situated in Soodan Mohalla of the old city area, collapsed on Tuesday evening. The multi-storey building had been lying in a dilapidated state for the past several decades. The portion of the structure collapsed while the remaining portion of the building is still hanging in between and can fall anytime. After the rain wrecked havoc in the city on Monday and led to collapse of three old buildings in Old City areas, another century-old building collapsed in Naughara Mohalla early on Tuesday morning. Fortunately, the incident did not cause any casualty. On Saturday also, an unsafe building had collapsed in Radi Mohalla near the Neem Wala Chowk.

Over 100 unsafe structures, tragedies waiting to happen

As per MC officials, the city has over 100 buildings which have been declared unsafe. Most of these buildings are lying abandoned. Some people were also staying in some of the buildings. Officials said due to pending court cases, the MC was hesitating to demolish such unsafe structures at their own level as it might entangle them in legal trouble.