Spl panel formed to probe Shimla building collapse

On July 1, a 5-storeyed building collapsed in Bhattakufer area of Shimla, locals blamed the 4-laning work by NHAI

- Shailee Dogra

SHIMLA: Days after the building collapsed in Shimla's Bhattakufer area, the district administration on Thursday ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Shimla deputy commissioner (DC) Anupam Kashyap said a committee has been formed under the chairmanship of additional district magistrate (law & order) Pankaj Sharma. “A special committee will investigate the incident of collapse of a five-storey building in Bhattakufer and will give a detailed report on the reasons for the collapse, the damage and provide assistance to the affected. Along with this, the committee will also submit a detailed report regarding the safety of adjoining houses,” said DC after a meeting.

On July 1, a five-storeyed building collapsed in Bhattakufer area of Shimla.

Police have registered an FIR against NHAI for negligence after a complaint by the owner of the collapsed building.

The building owner Ranjana Verma and the residents had pinned the blame on the four-laning work by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). The issue snowballed into a political storm after the panchayati raj minister Anirudh Singh was booked for assaulting the NHAI officials.