BENGALURU: A four-storey residential building on Vinayaka Nagar Street in Hebbal Kempapura started tilting precariously on Wednesday morning, triggering frantic scenes as occupants ran for safety and first responders raced to find and evacuate anyone left behind.
No one was injured, but authorities have decided to tear down the affected building, which is leaning to the right. Demolition teams are already on site, and residents of about 30 properties in close vicinity have been asked to temporarily move out as a precaution.
The affected building, which housed over two dozen residents, was built five years ago. There are two housing units on each floor; some were being used as PG accommodation. The fire brigade and BBMP suspect unauthorised construction on a plot behind the building caused conditions that led to the structure slanting.
“A sump in the plot developed cracks and water began to seep out. This leakage weakened the foundation of the building. A wall abutting the compound developed cracks on Tuesday night,” a civic official said.
Deputy police commissioner (north east) Bheemashankar Guled said the owner of the said plot, Chengalraya Babu, had been detained. Ravikumar Surpur, special BBMP commissioner (projects and health) and zonal commissioner (Yelahanka), said Babu didn’t take any plan approval before starting work on his plot, which is a B Khata property. “We have also learned that a JCB used to excavate earth on the land hit one of the pillars of the affected building. We have lodged a complaint against Babu and action will be taken against him,” Surpur said.
Businessman, Rahul Jain, 26, had acquired the building in question for Rs 1.6 crore in December 2018, the third time the property changed hands.
People living nearby recounted the events leading up to Wednesday’s shock. “Around 10.30pm on Tuesday, we heard a cracking sound and went outside to check. The back wall of the building had developed cracks. At that moment, the damage didn’t seem very severe, so everyone retired to their homes,” said Manjunath M.
But the cracks were signs of what was to come. “Around 7.45am today (Wednesday), the foundation and one of the pillars caved in and the building began to tilt. We heard screams and we rushed to rescue residents,” Manjunath said. Some people jumped from an adjoining structure into the balconies of the affected building to help trapped residents. In about 30 minutes, everyone was evacuated from the building. The fire brigade, police and BBMP were alerted. Rescue teams from the fire brigade and the disaster management cell were at the scene around 9.15am, according to locals.
Surpur said the building now posed danger to nearby properties and would be demolished. A rescue worker at the scene said there were 10 properties on one side of the leaning building. “There are 10 more on the other side of the road and 10 in a row behind. All 30 should be vacated so demolition work can proceed safely,” the worker said.
Surpur said evacuation orders had been issued and BBMP would offer alternative accommodation to residents of the 30 properties. “We will also arrange meals for all the days,” he said.
It will take demolition teams 15 to 20 days to pull the building down. Residents of nearby properties can return to their homes only after that.
BBMP has installed CCTV cameras in the locality to ensure that every activity related to the work is recorded. “Residents had no time to collect their belongings, and for safety, we didn’t allow anyone to enter the building. We have laid down a process in which important belongings will be collected during the demolition and later handed over to the rightful owners,” Surpur said.
“The tilt is steep and the gap between the affected building and the adjacent structure is narrow. This is the biggest challenge for the demolition teams,” said Pradeep KK, emergency coordinator from the disaster management cell.
No one was injured, but authorities have decided to tear down the affected building, which is leaning to the right. Demolition teams are already on site, and residents of about 30 properties in close vicinity have been asked to temporarily move out as a precaution.
The affected building, which housed over two dozen residents, was built five years ago. There are two housing units on each floor; some were being used as PG accommodation. The fire brigade and BBMP suspect unauthorised construction on a plot behind the building caused conditions that led to the structure slanting.
“A sump in the plot developed cracks and water began to seep out. This leakage weakened the foundation of the building. A wall abutting the compound developed cracks on Tuesday night,” a civic official said.
Deputy police commissioner (north east) Bheemashankar Guled said the owner of the said plot, Chengalraya Babu, had been detained. Ravikumar Surpur, special BBMP commissioner (projects and health) and zonal commissioner (Yelahanka), said Babu didn’t take any plan approval before starting work on his plot, which is a B Khata property. “We have also learned that a JCB used to excavate earth on the land hit one of the pillars of the affected building. We have lodged a complaint against Babu and action will be taken against him,” Surpur said.
Businessman, Rahul Jain, 26, had acquired the building in question for Rs 1.6 crore in December 2018, the third time the property changed hands.
People living nearby recounted the events leading up to Wednesday’s shock. “Around 10.30pm on Tuesday, we heard a cracking sound and went outside to check. The back wall of the building had developed cracks. At that moment, the damage didn’t seem very severe, so everyone retired to their homes,” said Manjunath M.
But the cracks were signs of what was to come. “Around 7.45am today (Wednesday), the foundation and one of the pillars caved in and the building began to tilt. We heard screams and we rushed to rescue residents,” Manjunath said. Some people jumped from an adjoining structure into the balconies of the affected building to help trapped residents. In about 30 minutes, everyone was evacuated from the building. The fire brigade, police and BBMP were alerted. Rescue teams from the fire brigade and the disaster management cell were at the scene around 9.15am, according to locals.
Surpur said the building now posed danger to nearby properties and would be demolished. A rescue worker at the scene said there were 10 properties on one side of the leaning building. “There are 10 more on the other side of the road and 10 in a row behind. All 30 should be vacated so demolition work can proceed safely,” the worker said.
Surpur said evacuation orders had been issued and BBMP would offer alternative accommodation to residents of the 30 properties. “We will also arrange meals for all the days,” he said.
It will take demolition teams 15 to 20 days to pull the building down. Residents of nearby properties can return to their homes only after that.
BBMP has installed CCTV cameras in the locality to ensure that every activity related to the work is recorded. “Residents had no time to collect their belongings, and for safety, we didn’t allow anyone to enter the building. We have laid down a process in which important belongings will be collected during the demolition and later handed over to the rightful owners,” Surpur said.
“The tilt is steep and the gap between the affected building and the adjacent structure is narrow. This is the biggest challenge for the demolition teams,” said Pradeep KK, emergency coordinator from the disaster management cell.
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