Ludhiana MC blames unit owner, contractor for roof collapse

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 7

Amid questions over the role of MC building branch staff in the roof collapse incident at Baba Mukand Singh Nagar in Ludhiana, the officials blamed the factory owner and roof slab lifting contractor for the mishap.

The building branch officials have submitted a report to MC Commissioner Pardeep Kumar Sabharwal.

When the roof slab was being lifted at the auto-parts manufacturing unit Jasmail Singh & Sons at Baba Mukand Singh Nagar on Daba Road on Monday, the mishap took place, killing five persons and leaving several injured.

Owner didn’t inform civic body

Without informing the MC and without getting a map approved, the owner had got the third storey’s roof slab-level lifting work started using jacks at 4 am on April 5. — MC Report

In a report prepared and signed by MC’s building branch officials, it is stated that the three-storeyed building was constructed around 20 years ago and it was being used for industrial purposes. The area where the factory building is located has been declared an industrial zone as per the master plan of Ludhiana, the officials said in the report.

The report states the assessment of the building was done in 2003-04 as per the record of MC’s house tax branch. “Without informing the MC and without getting a map approved, the building owner had got the third storey’s roof slab-level lifting work started with using jacks at 4 am (as per information given by the neighbours) on April 5,” the officials said in the report.

As per the building bylaws, there is a provision that after demolishing the old roof, a new roof can only be placed on the same level, the officials said.

They claimed the factory owner had not taken any kind of permission from the MC. The officials alleged the owner was getting the roof slab level of the old building raised by using jacks without any safety arrangements due to which the mishap took place.

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