Raipur: Panic gripped the Sadar Bazar area of the capital, Raipur, late Friday night when the front section of an old, dilapidated building suddenly collapsed, triggered by the loud volume of a DJ system playing nearby. Upon receiving news of the collapse, police and Municipal Corporation teams rushed to the site. As a precautionary measure, the police halted vehicular movement for a while. Fortunately, no untoward incident or injuries occurred. Reports indicate that the dilapidated building is located opposite Saheli Jewellers; a paan shop operates on the ground floor. Sensing the collapse, the shopkeeper and others present managed to escape to safety in time. Since the area usually sees heavy footfall during the day, a major tragedy was averted because the incident occurred late at night.
It is worth noting that following a building collapse in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai had held a meeting with all District Collectors and Superintendents of Police (SPs) just two days prior regarding dilapidated structures. The CM had directed that such buildings be demolished and instructed Collectors and SPs to regularly monitor buildings in their respective jurisdictions, ensuring the effective implementation of government directives. He had stated that any negligence in inspecting hazardous buildings would result in the concerned officials being held accountable. Prioritizing the safety of students and citizens, he had ordered the identification of potential risks and timely action to address them.
According to the Commissioner of Municipal Corporation Zone-4, the building in question was in a severely dilapidated state, and the Municipal Corporation had previously issued a notice to the owner. A portion of the building suddenly collapsed late Friday night. Following the incident, a Municipal Corporation team arrived at the scene and began clearing the debris. Police personnel have also been deployed to secure the surrounding area. The police have appealed to local residents not to play DJ or sound systems at high volumes near the building. According to officials, precautions are being taken to ensure there are no further complications or risks while removing the dilapidated section and securing the area. Currently, the Municipal Corporation’s Zonal Chairperson and a municipal team are present at the site. Operations to remove the damaged portion and secure the surrounding area are underway.
