Ludhiana: Narrow escape for three as century old building collapses

The building owner blamed the neighbour for the collapse; Lalit Kumar, owner of the house, said his neighbour was demolishing the building following which their house developed a crack and collapsed

Family of three had a close shave after part of a century old residential building collapsed in busy Karta Ram street in Chaura Bazaar on Friday.

A part of a dilapidated century old building collapsed in old city area in Ludhiana on Friday. (Harvinder Singh/HT)

The building was already declared unsafe by the municipal corporation.

The building owner blamed the neighbor for the collapse. Lalit Kumar, owner of the house, said his neighbor was demolishing the building following which their house developed a crack and collapsed. He added that he made a complaint to the MC on January 9, but no action was taken.

MC zonal commissioner Neeraj Jain said the building that collapsed in Karta Ram street in Chaura Bazar area on Friday was unsafe.

The civic body had already served notice to the building owner under section 273 of Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976 wherein it was stated that the owner should bring down the building or he would be responsible for any untoward incident, in case the building collapses. The MC assistant town planner (ATP) Mohan Singh said it was an unsafe building.

MC had received a complaint last month, wherein it was stated that the building had developed cracks due to some demolition work going on i its adjoining building.Acting upon the complaint, a notice was served to the building owner on January 13.