22-foot-high brick wall collapses in downpour

A 22-foot-high brick boundary wall of a private mill in Gurgaon collapsed under the rain fury on Saturday. Though no one got injured, four cars were damaged in the incident.

A 22-foot-high brick boundary wall of a private mill in Gurgaon collapsed under the rain fury on Saturday. Though no one got injured, four cars were damaged in the incident.

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The 50-metre-long wall in Sector 22-B was probably erected around 50 years ago.

According to locals, children usually play cricket on the street adjacent to the wall.

“Thank god it was raining and the street was deserted. Children were home and the elderly people, who usually sit outside the mill, were also not there,” said Bhim Singh Yadav, president of Sector 22-B Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA). A rescue team arrived at the spot 10 hours after the incident when local residents made many calls.

According to the rescue team, the wall collapsed at around 7pm. Four cars parked nearby were damaged.

“I saw my Hyundai Getz buried under the debris; its engine, bonnet, roof and windows shattered. My neighbour’s car was also damaged,” said Ankit Sharma, a resident of Sector 22-B.

The local residents informed the police that the wall had developed cracks and required repairs. “But the administration did not pay attention to our appeal. Had it not been a rainy day, children could have been killed in the collapse,” said PB Sharma, another local.

The police have asked the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) and the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) to repair the remaining boundary wall.

“Luckily, there was no casualty but I have warned the mill owner to repair the wall and take precautions in future,” said Naresh Yadav, station house officer, Palam Vihar.

The mill owner refused to comment on the issue.