An octogenarian visually challenged man was carefully guided down from his seventh floor flat in the Queens Corner apartment on Monday evening, as his family evacuated the flat they lived in for 35 years and sought refuge in a nearby hotel.
“He has been here for 35 years now and is familiar with the surroundings. Now we have to take him out causing him much discomfort and panic,” said the octogenarian T Srikumar's son Uday Srikumar.
Theirs was one of the 32 families that evacuated their homes in ‘C’ Block of the complex after it developed cracks.
Geeta S. Raj was in a quandary as her first floor flat bore the brunt. Cracks have developed in the kitchen and lobby. “I live with a young daughter. I am at a loss as to where I should move,” she told The Hindu .
The residents’ association put up a notice in ‘C’ Block, that has 32 flats, to evacuate in view of their own safety. Most moved out clutching just a pair of clothes to nearby hotels. “We just hope that there will be not be permanent damage to our flats and we will be able to return to our homes in a few days,” said Uday Srikumar.
M O Sherief, Assistant Executive Engineer, Vasanth Nagar sub-division, BBMP has been heading the operations to clear the debris.
He said that there is no imminent threat to the building.
