‘Action against Building Owner If Rules Were Violated in Hoarding Crash Incident ‘- Mangaluru City Corporation Mayor Jayanand Anchan
Mangaluru: Recalling the incident which took place on Wednesday 5 July morning at around 10:30 am near Bikarnakatte, on the Bajjodi road where a large hoarding atop a Complex came hurtling down along with its foundation, damaging a minimum of 13 two-wheelers that were parked beside the building on Bajjodi Church Lane, near to the wall of Shri Krishna Bhavan Hotel/Restaurant. These two-wheelers were parked by employees who work in that complex or nearby offices daily in the morning.
Following the incident, the residents whose vehicles were damaged, were fumed and demanded that the authorities pull down the building alleging it was unsafe. Fortunately, no one was hurt at the time of the incident (between 10:30 am-11 am), as there was hardly any traffic movement. The area is always packed with vehicles moving on that road during the peak hours between 8 am-9 am- luckily no one was hurt since the incident took place later in the hours.
Mangaluru City Corporation Mayor Jayanand Anchan, who visited the spot said, “After receiving complaints from the angry residents and having heard complaints from the angry residents, we will decide on the next course of action, depending on violations, if any done by the building owner. I will have to verify whether a licence was granted for erecting mobile towers and the extra floor, that has been put up as alleged by residents, then we will deal within the purview of law”.
It is learnt that the building has ground, plus three floors. But as per the owner of the building, he had spoken to the company that had put up the hoarding and they had assured they would compensate for the damage to vehicles. He also said he had purchased the building long back and was not aware of any violations. Regarding the mobile towers, he said the companies had obtained the requisite permission.
All the two-wheelers that were parked beside the building have been damaged extensively, some irreparably, as the blocks holding the hoarding had crashed on them. A transformer was also damaged. The MESCOM crew had to spend the whole day till late at night on Wednesday fixing the electric pole, transformer etc, which led to a power outage in that area, all the way to the Maroli-Padil areas.
The cashier at the Shri Krishna Bhavan restaurant speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “I was terrified when I heard a large sound of something coming crashing down next to our restaurant. Nothing of this kind has happened in the past. I feel sorry for the owners of the nearly 12-13 two-wheelers who always park their vehicles before going to their respective workplaces. Even a bunch of our customers who were dining at that time also feared the loud sound. Luckily no one was injured since the incident took place at a time when there is not much movement of traffic or pedestrians”.
Yet another nearby resident on Bajjodi Road leading to Infant Jesus Church down the road said that he is scared that one of these days when there are huge winds, chances are the mobile towers could come crashing down, leading to injuries/fatalities and property damage. Hope the concerned authorities check on the stability of these towers before they come crashing down.
TREES UPROOTED/BRANCHES FALLEN ACROSS THE CITY:
Trees were uprooted at Nanthoor Junction, at several places in Maroli, Adu Maroli and Kulshekar and Kadri Kambala areas. Flex Hoardings also crashed at several places in the city. But no one was injured, according to authorities. A resident living on Kambala Road had complained in her WhatsApp that a huge tree in the compound of an NRI business tycoon had fallen into their compound at Kadri Kambala main road near a Math, damaging their trees, compound wall and a printing press. The message stated that they had brought to the attention of the NRI/relatives a year back, the danger the trees in his compound posed, however, no action was taken. The neighbour also requested him to help remove the fallen tree and other trees in his compound that pose danger, before they cause damage to property or life.
