UP CM’s office asks for inquiry report on Shahberi twin buildings collapse incident

Nine persons were killed in the twin building collapse at Shahberi in Greater Noida on July 17.

The chief minister’s office has asked the administration of Gautam Budh Nagar to expedite final and detailed report into the Shahberi twin building collapse that claimed nine lives on July 17.

The report of the magesterial inquiry into the incident was to be submitted within 15 days of the mishap, but it was delayed as departments did not give their inputs. (Sunil Ghosh / HT File Photo)

A magisterial inquiry, headed by the additional district magistrate (ADM), was ordered soon after the incident. The report was to be submitted within 15 days. However, it was delayed as various departments were late in submitting their inputs.

Yogi Adityanath’s office has asked the concerned officials to complete the report at the earliest and submit it. The administration had asked Greater Noida authority, police, revenue, industries, land acquisition, labour and public works departments to submit their individual reports on what was done to contain illegal constructions in Shahberi.

All departments, except the Greater Noida authority, have filed the reports. The authority, despite multiple reminders, has failed to comply.

“The CM’s office has asked us to complete the report as soon as possible. We have got report from all departments but the authority’s report is still awaited and that is the most crucial report of all,” Diwakar Singh, ADM, who is heading the inquiry, said.

Previously, ADM Vinit Kumar was heading the inquiry and he had asked for a 10-day extension of deadline to submit the report. Kumar was transferred on August 6 after which the new ADM took over the inquiry.

The report has been getting delayed following the lack of response from departments concerned over the large-scale illegal construction in Shahberi, a senior administration official said.

The Greater Noida authority has been told to submit information about the number of times it asked for police force to act against illegal buildings. The authority has also been asked to provide the names and roles of officials responsible for Shahberi over the last three years.

Nine people were killed on the night of July 17 when an under construction building fell on an adjacent building in the congested Shahberi village of Bisrakh.

Meanwhile, the CM’s office has released Rs 2 lakh each to the family of those killed in the building collapse. “We have received the compensation money from the CM’s office and cheques have been issued to the families of the nine persons,” Singh said.