Four families were evacuated from their homes on Sunday after the supporting wall of their buildings collapsed.
The residents of the two buildings that were on a single land parcel on G.P. Rajarathnam Road in Subramanyanagar were shaken by the incident. For now, the families, who have left behind all their belongings, are living with relatives nearby, waiting in hope that their homes are safe.
The wall collapsed around 3.30 p.m. on Sunday when earth was being excavated for foundation work in the adjoining plot. This exposed the foundation of the two buildings, leading to the wall collapse. The heavy rains on Saturday had loosened the soil, the residents claimed.
While there is no immediate threat to the structural stability of the two buildings, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), as an immediate solution, has filled the depression with sand bags.
BBMP Commissioner B.H. Anil Kumar said the owner of the plot where the foundation work had been taken up should have taken preventive steps. “The wall collapsed as the foundation was exposed. We need to check the structural stability of both buildings. We have asked Civil Aid, an engineering agency, to check the same and submit a report,” he said.
Meanwhile, owners of the two affected buildings have filed a complaint with the Subramanyanagar police against the owner of the adjoining plot where construction work was being taken up.
Ravi Mahalingappa, co-owner of the building whose wall collapsed, alleged that the owner of the adjoining plot did not pay any heed to the concerns raised by the owners of neighbouring plots. A retaining wall, he claimed, could have prevented the wall collapse.
According to Sujatha Praveen, one of the occupants of the affected buildings, the residents spoke to the contractor when construction began in August. “We also met the owner and her brother, who is the engineer. They gave us false assurances about the precautionary measures and procedures that they would take,” she alleged.
Another resident K.S. Praveen said they are waiting for a green signal from the BBMP to go back to their homes.
