Smart city high rise building slab falls in Bhopal

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The slab and blocks that fell from multi-storeyed building of Bhopal Smart City Development Corporation Limited (BSCDCL) in TT Nagar on Friday has kicked off a controversy and raised fingers at its poor quality of construction.

Palash Market Vyapari Vikash Kalyan Sangh president Tribhuvan Mishra said, “Construction quality is very poor. BSCDCL claims that net was torn and debris fell down on it. This is wrong as there was no net and more blocks may fall in the days to come.”

He added, “Right from beginning, we protested against the project because it was a 40-year old nullah on which they raised construction. But smart city company paid no heed. Nullah’s width was reduced from 8 metres to 2 metres, which disturbed its natural flow. We approached National Green Tribunal (NGT). The company told NGT that there was no nullah in khasra. ”

Local traders told Free Press that top blocks fell on cars breaking power transmission line. More blocks may fall. Nets are not sufficient to prevent fall of blocks.

However, BSCDCL CEO Gaurav Benal said only debris fell on the net, which local traders denied. The project was started in 2016 in front of Palash Hotel.

Smart city multi-storied buildings are being constructed on 40- year-old nullah that flows from Rang Mahal to Banganga nullah. The nullah receives sewage from New Market, Rangmahal areas.

The BSCDCL laid slab and constructed high rise buildings covering nullah and converted into a simple drain. This inundates the road during rainy season as high rise buildings stop flow of nullah, according to traders.