The BWSSB has accused Legacy Global Projects — the builder of the 13-storey apartment that is coming up in the plot adjoining Queens Corner — for tampering with a British era pipeline leading to a major leak that led to the earth caving in.
S. Krishnappa, engineer-in-chief, BWSSB, told The Hindu , “The pipeline is made of cast iron. The builder has changed the pathway of the line and tried to join it to a Galvanised Iron (GI) pipeline. A joint of two different metals is unstable and this is where the pipeline has burst.”
BWSSB has now lodged a complaint with Cubbon Park police against the builder. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Sandeep Patil confirmed receipt of the complaint. The BBMP has also blamed Legacy.
BBMP Administrator T.M. Vijay Bhaskar, who visited the site on Tuesday, said that the foundation of Queens Corner apartment complex and that of a neighbouring IT firm, suffered damage due to the carelessness of Legacy.
Structural analysis report
BBMP has formed a special committee which carried out a structural analysis of the damaged C Block of Queens Corner Apartment on Tuesday. The report is expected on Wednesday.
“We will decide the next course of action about the building based on the technical report,” he said.
Residents yet to return
Residents of the 32 flats of C Block, who evacuated their homes anticipating damage to their building, are yet to return home. While some have temporarily moved in with relatives, most are staying in nearby hotels. Mr. Bhaskar said that Legacy would bear the entire cost of the temporary accommodation for the residents.
Builder blames BWSSB
In a statement, Legacy Builders stated that the accident was caused by the sheer negligence shown by BWSSB in addressing the faulty pipe, which was gushing water, eroding soil and passing through their site. “Even though Legacy submitted a letter to BWSSB on June 12, 2015, drawing attention to the impending danger, our attempts were in vain owing to lack of any action/precautionary measures from the BWSSB. The BWSSB and their negligence continued as they opened the supply of water through the faulty pipe last night as work on repairing the damage caused by the same was ongoing. The same has been brought to BWSSB’s notice in another letter on June 16, 2015.” A Legacy spokesperson said that they have decided to take care of the accommodation of the affected families until the work is complete.
