Safety compromised

A three-storey building came down like a house of cards in Mohali on Saturday, claiming two young lives. Far from being quake-resistant, the structure could not even withstand digging — apparently unauthorised, for that matter — in the adjacent plot belonging to one of the owners of the building. The tragedy has turned the spotlight on the pitfalls of unregulated construction and urbanisation in Mohali. Long regarded as Chandigarh’s poor cousin, this satellite city is witnessing a realty boom, with all kinds of property developers looking to grab a share of the pie. Residential and commercial complexes are coming up overnight, even as strict enforcement of the bylaws remains elusive. The use of substandard construction material and unskilled labour or contractors are among the other factors that are making buildings unsafe. There is a worrying tendency among builders to cut corners so as to expedite work and maximise profits.

This problem, however, is not confined to Mohali. It is also afflicting cities across Punjab and neighbouring Haryana. ‘Millennium City’ Gurugram’s Chintels Paradiso Group Housing Society is a prime example of unscrupulous developers putting lives of residents at risk. In February 2022, two women were killed after the ceiling of a flat in a high-rise tower caved in; such was the cascade effect that portions of flats on lower floors also crumbled. One tower after another of this premises has been declared unsafe for habitation by technical experts, necessitating the evacuation of its occupants. At the receiving end are the hapless homebuyers who put their life savings into dubious projects, while the offenders simply wait for the dust to settle before resuming their operations.

Regular inspections and audits are a must to ensure that builders do not circumvent bylaws at any stage. Officials who allow violations right under their nose should also be taken to task. Brazen negligence and greed that reduce unsuspecting people to sitting ducks at home, in offices or in the marketplace should not go unpunished.