Leaning 'tower' of Bengaluru: Police building tilts after crack

Bengaluru: Even as the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is getting ready to demolish 404 buildings in Bengaluru, which are structurally weak and could collapse any time, newly built seven-storey police quarters along Magadi Road dangerously tilted by 1.5 feet due to a wide crack, on Saturday.

The policemen, who along with fire brigade personnel, are generally involved in evacuating families from the houses that collapsed in the recent past in Bengaluru, were themselves forced to be evacuated as a crack in the building now developed into a wide gap forcing the structure to tilt. As many as 38 families residing in the 'B' block building have been evacuated as authorities do not want to take any chances with their safety. It is also being contemplated to shift families from 'C' block building as well. Sources said the evacuated families will be sent to Annapoorneshwari Nagar police quarters.

The 'B' block building which has tilted is posing danger to the 'C' Block building as well. Sources say that poor quality of construction work has resulted in tilting of the building.

The police quarters were allotted in 2020 to families of policemen working in Bengaluru and the construction work of this apartment complex was completed three years ago.

The residents said Bengaluru Police Commissioner, Kamal Pant had visited the police quarters last week and was told about the condition of the building.

BBMP Chief Commissioner, Gaurav Gupta said the tilt is found in the police quarters. "The building was built using Japanese technology. The construction is being done with cement blocks. There is no beam installed between blocks and they are not supported well. The information is that the building is constructed three years ago and there is a six-and-a-half inch crack, "he added.

The latest survey was ordered by BBMP after a series of incidents of the collapse of old and weak buildings in the city due to incessant rains were reported. The families have had a narrow escape in at least three such incidents.

The latest survey has revealed that among 404 weak buildings, the highest number of such buildings are in the south zone at 103 followed by the west zone at 95. Structural engineers are going to assess these buildings and further decision will be taken based on their assessment.