RANCHI: A 110-feet puja pandal being constructed in Dhanbad’s Bhuli B Block on the theme of the Tirupati Balaji Temple in Andhra Pradesh collapsed completely on Friday evening due to incessant rain and strong winds.
Fortunately, the pandal was not crowded at the time of the accident, averting a major disaster.
According to locals, the incident occurred because the pandal's foundation was weak, and continuous rain further compromised its structure, leading to its collapse.
Local resident Mithilesh Paswan said, “The pandal had been under construction for the past one month, costing approximately Rs 9.5 lakh. The pandal was 110 feet high and had a weak base. Rain and wind further weakened its structure, causing the entire pandal to collapse. Had this incident occurred on Saptami or Ashtami, there could have been a significant loss of life.”
Following the accident, the puja committee has begun dismantling the entire pandal. Committee members stated that the puja process will proceed after new arrangements are decided.
Similar reports of puja pandal collapses have also emerged from other parts of Dhanbad. Light gates in Matkuria and Saraidhela puja pandals have reportedly collapsed, although no casualties have been reported from those locations.
Continuous rainfall since 17 June, when the South West Monsoon entered Jharkhand, has wreaked havoc across the state over the past three months, resulting in loss of property and lives. Two farmers died while working in the fields when lightning struck in the Bodam block, adjacent to Jamshedpur in East Singhbhum district, on Friday.
The Meteorological Centre in Ranchi has issued a yellow alert for the state until 30 September, warning that monsoon activity is expected to intensify in the coming days.
In the past 24 hours, the monsoon remained active across Jharkhand, with light to moderate rainfall recorded at several locations. The highest rainfall was recorded in Palamu, at 51 mm.
Ranchi and Saraikela-Kharsawan have recorded a surplus of 50 percent rainfall this monsoon season. Ranchi has received a total of 1,524.9 mm, as against the normal average of 1,013.9 mm. Saraikela-Kharsawan has received a total of 1,479.9 mm, compared with the normal 989.7 mm.