Residents blame construction of mall for collapse of buildings in Kankarbagh

Patna,(BiharTimes): Even when monsoon has not actually arrived in Patna, the front portion of two buildings in the vicinity of the erstwhile Tiwary-Bechar petrol pump on Old Bypass in Kankarbagh collapsed on Wednesday afternoon.

Panicky residents ran for safety to save their lives. Fortunately there was no casualty. The incident reminded people of the collapse of Vaishnavi Apartments which had collapsed on a rainy night a few years ago.

Owners and tenants of the two buildings told the media that they have been wating for the worst when the cracks developed for the first time in the buildings in three contagious plots a few months back.
The panic-stricken residents squarely blamed the disaster on the construction work on the mall on the plot where Tiwary-Bechar petrol pump was earlier located.

The mall is being constructed bythe construction firm, Gardenia.Newtech.
Residents complained that they have been living here for the last four decades, but the problem started when a builder started construction of a mall on the Tiwary-Bechar site a couple of years ago.

They said that the land at the mall construction site has been dug up 50 feet deep. This has weakened the plinth and foundation of buildings in the vicinity. They said they observed the first crack in January and brought the matter to the notice of the DM, SSP, Patna Mayor, Patna Municipal Corporation and Kankarbagh police station. But their plea fell on deaf ears.

In fact a small portion collapsed 10 days ago. The residents had then shifted to other places. Only eight families were living in A-29 when a part of the structure collapsed on Wednesday.
Some others have taken shelter in hotel, or rented house.