Gurugram: DC Yadav forms another committee to probe cause of building collapse

A day after police registered a second first information report in the shocking house collapse at the Chintels Paradiso condominium that resulted in the death of two residents, deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav constituted another committee to inquire into the incident

A day after police registered a second first information report in the shocking house collapse at the Chintels Paradiso condominium that resulted in the death of two residents, deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav constituted another committee to inquire into the incident.

An additional district magistrate will head the committee and a superintendent engineer of the Public Works Department (B&R), and the district town planner will probe the causes which led to the collapse. (Vipin Kumar /HT PHOTO)

Yadav said that an additional district magistrate will head the committee and a superintendent engineer of Public Works Department (B&R) and the district town planner will probe the causes which led to the collapse. “The preliminary probe has revealed that the developer was carrying out some work on the sixth and seventh floors, following which the ceiling of a portion of the sixth floor flat collapsed, leading to the floors below caving in. We are still waiting for the reports to know the exact cause,” he said.

According to officials in the know, the district administration is conducting a separate inquiry to ensure a thorough investigation. Yadav, on Friday, constituted the first committee to probe the incident -- a team from the administration led by additional deputy commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena.

Yadav said the administration’s prime focus is the safety of residents in other towers as they had earlier complained about poor construction work. “Our teams have collected samples from the spot and recorded the statements of the contractor and labourers working in the building. There is no clarity on how renovation and flooring work led to the collapse. Either the labourers are not telling the truth or the material used by the developer was of bad quality. In case of the latter, other residents’ lives are at risk because the same material has been used in other towers too,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gurugram police on Monday issued notices to suspects named in the FIRs registered on Thursday and Sunday to join the investigation.

KK Rao, the outgoing commissioner of police, said that the teams are conducting an investigation and will start recording statements of the suspects. “Once the suspects join the investigation, police and other departments will get clarity and they can be held accountable for the collapse,” he said.