Supreme Court team inspects Moulivakkam building

Chennai

The team would submit its report to the apex court on April 18 when the case would come up for hearing. The team appointed on March 18 comprises Assistant Professor of Indian Institute of New Delhi Shashank Bisnoi, Chairman (Structure), National Building Construction, L P Singh, senior advocate Ashok Kumar Gupta and advocate Gaurav Agarwal.

The apex court was hearing an appeal filed by the Tamil Nadu government against the Madras High Court order which quashed the Kancheepuram Collector’s directive to demolish the 11-storeyed building at Moulivakkam, on the city outskirts, by Prime Sristi Housing Private Limited.

The High Court had also dismissed two separate petitions filed by 48 persons, who had booked flats in the building, refusing to order refund of the money they had paid to the builder nor compensation. The petitioners had sought refund of Rs 17.68 crore they had all paid, besides Rs 2.6 crore as reimbursement and Rs 17.68 crore as compensation. It may be recalled that one of the two 11-storeyed buildings under construction of Prime Sristi Housing Private Limited collapsed, killing 61 people, a majority of them migrant construction workers from states like Bihar and Odisha.

More than 20 people were rescued from the debris after a challenging rescue and relief works undertaken by various agencies including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

While the Block-B collapsed, trapping more than 80 people, who had taken shelter following rains, the Block-A, which was ordered to be demolished by the district authorities citing stability, was the subject matter of the present case.

Though Block-A did not collapse, the inquiry commission formed by the government had concluded that it was also unsafe and should be demolished. In the meantime, the Kancheepuram collector had issued the demolition order which was set aside by the High Court for violation of procedures. The second demolition order was issued on October 19, 2015.