Building collapse reveals illegal construction business in city

Inefficiency and lack of coordination among the various agencies which allowed the unauthorised construction at Alipur has cost the life of two labourers and left at least 10 injured when the roof of an under-construction godown collapsed on Monday night. The second such major incident in the past one month has once again revealed the extent of the thriving business of unauthorised constructions in the city.

While the ruling BJP has preferred to remain silent on this issue, the Opposition Congress has trained its gun on Corporation departments which are authorised to check illegal/unauthorised constructions in the areas under them. 

Raising voice against the mushrooming business of unauthorised constructions, Opposition leaders claim that such practices are taking place under the nose of the civic bodies and the law enforcement agency.

“It is unbelievable and extremely shocking that despite witnessing series of incidents of building collapse in the recent past, the North Corporation had shut its eyes. 

“Engineering and building departments, which are authorised to check all kinds of constructions whether legal or illegal, must act against such practices. 

“After every incident, officials announce adequate measures to check the business but fail to implement them once the matters close,” said Mukesh Goel, Leader of Opposition.

While several questions are being raised regarding the veracity of authorities’ claim of keeping a check on unauthorised constructions, Corporation Commissioner, PK Gupta, has suspended three engineers and has ordered an inquiry too. 

The Commissioner, through an <g data-gr-id="25">order,</g> has informed that three engineers-Jitender Khatri (JE), 

RK Jain (AE) and BS Meena (EE), all from the building department have been placed under suspension owing to the ongoing inquiry of the mishap.