CHENNAI: The architect and structural engineer arrested in connection with the Moulivakkam building collapse were not the ones who had signed the planning permission application, it is learnt.
On Sunday, the police arrested six persons in connection with the collapse, including Vijay Bargotra and Venkatasubramani, who were identified as the architect and structural engineer of the building, respectively.
However, according to information available with Express, these two had not signed the planning permission application that was submitted to the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA). As per records with the CMDA, the structural engineer for the project was S Nagesh (Class I LS No 180) and the architect B Suganya (CA/ 2009/45046). When asked about this discrepancy in the records, senior officials at the CMDA said they were looking into it.
The ‘discrepancy’ also brings to light the nexus between brokers and CMDA officials, whose role in the whole tragedy has been largely ignored. “If those who signed the CMDA document are fake, then action should be taken against officials. Why is it that the names of Bargotra and Venkatasubramani, who have been arrested, not included in the permission? This remains a big mystery,” sources said.
Meanwhile, the Chennai City police officials said they are ‘investigating’ if any other architects or structural engineers were involved in the construction of the collapsed building.
A senior police official told Express that they had not arrested any other architect or structural engineer other than Bargotra and Venkatasubramani till Monday evening. When asked whether the two had confessed about their involvement in the project, the official merely said that it was being ‘investigated’.
(With inputs From J Santhosh)
