CHENNAI: The Inquiry Commission which probed the collapse of the 11-storey under construction building at suburban Moulivakkam killing more than 60 people has faulted the builders and recommended many remedial measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents and safeguard people who invest in such projects.
The Commission, headed by retired Madras High Court Judge R Regupathi, while fixing responsibility on six persons involved in the construction of the building, also called for the demolition of Block A which stands near the highrise that crashed on June 28, 2014
Accepting the findings and recommendations, Tamil Nadu government, which provided financial assistance to the victims and injured persons, said it would explore legal ways and means to assist the flat buyers and the neighbouring residents to obtain compensation from those responsible for the loss.
The report, tabled in the State Assembly on Tuesay said the main cause and reason behind the mishap was the total go-bye from the approved plan and the wayward fashion of construction activity at every stage by the builder and his associates by intentionally being heedless to the major deviations from the original plan.
“’In other words, the ‘planned deviation perpetrated by a set of deviated minds’ and the construction activities proceeded at their behest in a wrong track with a view to somehow derive huge profits even at the cost of quality and safety aspects involved, is the ultimate cause behind the collapse,” the report said.
The report also said the builders had totally abandoned the plan approved by the government without the knowledge of the authorities of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA).
“A comprehensive legislation or vitalization of existing legislation can be made so that essential features like insurance package, creating triangular responsibilities among bank, builder and customer, introducing special penal provisions, insisting upon the construction firms taking up mega projects to deposit sizeable sum in fixed deposit minimum for 10 years etc,” the report suggested.
The panel further recommended that the CMDA could be reconstituted at the Foundation level by forming a Committee comprising a technical officer of the CMDA, a law officer and experts in soil investigation, foundation design, structural engineering etc., to compulsorily superintend and oversee all mega projects.
Apart from ensuring quality and compliance issues, the main task of such committee should be to inspect the site at all crucial stages in particular during the earth work for foundation, foundation concerting, laying the roof of basement floor and laying the roof at each floor level, the report added.
“It is seriously suggested that a special squad may immediately be formed to check up primarily all mega projects taking place in and around the city limits so that recurrence of any bad happening can be immediately stopped,” the report said.
The Commission also recommended that sensitising the vigilance department by establishing a special unit to exclusively deal with the hidden and underground transactions between the officials concerned at various levels and the realtors/promoters.