E-Paper
Lucknow’s Gomti Nagar porch collapse claims life of Barabanki man
Ravi Verma, 24, had reportedly come to meet an acquaintance working in an office inside the building
A porch of a corporate building collapsed after Friday’s downpour, claiming the life of a 24-year-old Barabanki resident, near Indira Gandhi Pratishthan crossing, in Vibhuti Khand area.
The deceased, Ravi Verma, 24, had reportedly come to meet an acquaintance working in an office inside the building. As the rain intensified, he took shelter near the entrance of the complex. Moments later, a section of the balcony located above the main entrance gate suddenly gave way and fell directly on him.
Verma was pulled out from under the debris and rushed to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS) where doctors declared him dead, confirmed the institute’s media spokesperson Bhuvan Chandra Tiwari.
People associated with the complex claimed that the building, which is over a decade old and houses several commercial establishments, was in urgent need of structural repairs. “There were visible cracks in some sections, and the concrete near the base of the balcony pillars had begun to crumble. We had raised this concern several times with the building management, but no steps were taken,” said an employee of one of the outlets.
Eyewitnesses alleged that seepage and poor maintenance had further weakened the structural integrity of the balcony.
Meanwhile, the police have sealed the area and are collecting CCTV footage and statements from witnesses to ascertain negligence. A case of negligence causing death is likely to be registered after the preliminary inquiry, police said.
Friend recalls horror
Verma’s friend Brijesh, who was with him at the time, recounted the terrifying moments. “The porch started shaking, and within seconds, it came crashing down. We all ran. I grabbed Ravi’s hand and tried to pull him, but I couldn’t hold on. He slipped and got buried under the rubble.”
Brijesh said that the security guards at the building didn’t come forward to help. “They just stood there. It was only after people nearby heard the noise and came running that we managed to pull Ravi out. We rushed him to the hospital, but it was already too late,” he added.
The incident has sparked anger among residents, who say that the building’s poor maintenance and lack of emergency support may have cost a life.
‘Overnight illegal construction’
The management company of the facility has blamed unauthorised construction work by a private bank for the incident.
In a complaint to the police, Shadaf Aziz, manager, MPDL Facility Management Services, alleged that structural modifications were being carried out recklessly without informing or coordinating with the building’s maintenance team.
Aziz stated that while MPDL was tasked with the upkeep of the building by RR Infrastructure Projects, the ground floor had been sold to a private firm, which later sub-leased it to a private bank. According to the complaint, the current occupants began installing air conditioners and demolishing parts of the structure without permission or safety oversight.
“These changes directly compromised the structural integrity of the balcony. During this unauthorised construction, a portion of the balcony collapsed, fatally injuring the man standing below,” Aziz said, holding the contractor responsible for altering the foundation and key load-bearing areas without any formal clearance.
MPDL has requested the police to register an FIR and initiate strict legal action against the contractor involved.
However, Vibhuti Khand SHO Sunil Kumar Singh said that while the complaint is being looked into, a formal FIR is yet to be lodged.
