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Defective plan sanctioned by previous govt led to disaster: Suvendu on Taratala warehouse collapse

Statesman News Service

Photo: X, SNS


West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Tuesday that a suspected structural defect in a building plan sanctioned by the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government may have led to the collapse of the under-construction warehouse at Taratala in Kolkata, which has so far claimed the lives of three people.

Announcing that all construction plans approved during the previous regime have been put on hold until July 31 for reassessment, Adhikari said preliminary findings indicated flaws in the sanctioned design of the five-storey steel-framed structure.

“The plan was sanctioned by the previous government on January 17. According to the corporation engineer, the plan was defective, and that has led to the disaster. The lease was given to Behara Brothers,” Adhikari said at a press conference after visiting the accident site.

“Presently we have asked to put the construction work on hold till July 31. We will reassess all the plans that were sanctioned during the Trinamool Congress regime and give fresh sanctions,” he said.

The five-storey steel-framed structure, being built over the past one-and-a-half years on land leased from the Kolkata Port Trust to a leading tea manufacturing company, had reportedly shown signs of instability since the morning.

Local sources said the massive iron framework, part of the proposed tea warehouse spread across several thousand square feet, had been swaying unusually for hours before the collapse.

Workers and residents had noticed apparent flaws in a section of the structure, raising concerns about its stability.

Several workers reportedly gathered beneath the affected portion around noon to inspect the problem when the entire roof and steel framework suddenly gave way, crashing down within minutes and trapping dozens under tonnes of debris.

When asked about the cause of the collapse, Adhikari said, “I cannot say what has happened, but there was something wrong in the plan. Whether that was deliberate or not is subject to investigation.”

What Kolkata Port said

Clarifying the role of the port authority, Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port stated that, as the lessor of the land, it grants permissions and no-objection certificates only to the extent required under the lease agreement.

“The lessee is solely responsible for obtaining all statutory approvals, permissions, sanctions and clearances from the competent authorities, including the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and other regulatory agencies, prior to commencement of any construction activity,” the port authority said.

It further noted that upon completion of construction, the lessee must obtain all requisite approvals, certifications and occupancy-related permissions from the concerned statutory authorities in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations.

The chief minister had earlier said that three people had died while 21 others were rescued.

“We have made a green corridor and sent all the people to SSKM. The rescue operation has started in time; else more people would have lost their lives. There are still 12 to 15 people trapped inside, but the Army and the NDRF are coordinating with them,” he said.

Rescue ops underway

Meanwhile, the state government has launched a large-scale rescue operation involving the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), disaster management teams and the Kolkata Police.

Police said between 40 and 50 labourers were working inside the structure at the time of the collapse, though the exact number of those still trapped remains uncertain.

“We have made holes through the debris and are supplying water and oxygen. We hope to rescue them soon,” a senior police officer said.

Rescue personnel are using gas cutters to slice through twisted steel beams, while heavy machinery is being deployed to clear the debris and reach those feared trapped underneath. Ambulances remain on standby at the site as the operation continues.

The West Bengal government is closely monitoring the situation from Nabanna and has opened a special emergency control room. Helpline numbers issued for affected families and the public are 1070, 8697981070, 033-22143526 and 033-22535185.

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