Noida officials inspect shopping mall after video of roof collapse goes viral

A team of Noida authority inspected the DLF Mall of India on Wednesday after a video showing a portion of the arcade’s roof collapsing went viral.

A team of Noida authority inspected the DLF Mall of India on Wednesday after a video showing a portion of the arcade’s roof collapsing went viral.

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According to officials, the demolition of the roof was pre-planned, controlled and permission had been sought prior. The Mall of India, located in Sector 38A, has been closed for the visitors ever since the lockdown was imposed in March in view of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

“We had inspected the shopping centre to confirm if it was an accident or a controlled demolition. There is some renovation going on and mall officials presented the approvals they took last month to perform such activities and dispose of the debris. They had also paid the Noida authority in advance to dispose of the debris likely to be generated, at our Sector-80 construction and demolition waste plant,” said Salil Yadav, senior manager (electric), Noida authority.

He added that the renovations were being carried by the galleria to improve certain parts of the structure to avoid seepage, in a bid to save the fire alarm systems and projectors in multiplexes, which had been developing faults due to the gas emissions from the Shahdara drain flowing nearby.

A DLF spokesperson had stated earlier that the collapse was part of controlled renovation work, adding that the video was from last month.

The video that was circulated widely on social media purportedly showed a section of the roof collapsing, emitting a huge cloud of dust. The mall authorities have, however, asserted that the collapse of about 650 square metre of the roof was deliberate and part of renovation work.

“We had commenced planned enhancement works in a part of The Mall of India, Noida, when the lockdown was suddenly implemented. During this time, a small portion, measuring approximately 650 square metres -- under 3% of total roof area -- was in the process of being prepared … The thunderstorm and extreme weather conditions that hit the city of Noida in June adversely impacted this portion of the roof in its vulnerable state. As a consequence of the damage suffered, a decision was taken to bring down that entire portion of the roof and rebuild it completely with enhanced standards,” said an official statement from the mall, adding that the enhancement work will continue in a safe manner and reopening of the mall is not linked to the work.