'Babusapalya building owner intended to rent all flats, build similar structure next door'

Bengaluru: Space constraints that trapped stagnant water inside the compound softened the soil and likely triggered the collapse of the under-construction apartment building in eastern Bengaluru's Babusapalya on October 22, according to a civil engineer who visited the ill-fated building days before the tragedy. 

There were also rampant setback violations, the engineer noted, speaking on the condition of anonymity. 

A construction worker, who survived the incident, said that they were not paid their promised dues. 

The tragedy, which followed persistent rains across the city, left eight construction workers dead and six injured. One person is still missing while eight were rescued in the nick of time. 

The seven-storeyed building had one two-bedroom house and one three-bedroom house each on four floors with a duplex on the fifth and sixth floors. However, he said there was no setback — minimum space required around any building or structure. 

The engineer suggested that the construction of a compound wall with little available space in the 40x60 site led to waterlogging near the foundation of the building, softening the soil and triggering the collapse. 

"I wanted to hire some workers for one of my projects. So I went to the building and met Elumalai (the second contractor of the builder). I also met the owner’s son. They were planning to rent out the homes. They told me that they had bought a site adjacent to their building to construct a similar apartment complex," he said and added that the building was almost 90% complete with only wiring and painting to be done. 

'Workers were not paid'

Anil Kumar, one of the construction workers who survived the collapse, had left the site about half an hour before the incident. 

He alleged that the owner had not made payments. "He would pay us only one-fourth of the total amount," he said. Many workers had left the job about a week ago due to poor payment, said the Bihar-based worker. 

"On the day of the incident, I was supposed to receive Rs 2 lakh from the owner," he said. 

Two of Kumar's friends were found dead, while one survived with injuries after jumping from the fifth floor. "Another friend is battling for his life in the hospital," he said. 

A Kalaburgi-based construction worker told DH that there might be two more people, including a child, who used to take shelter in the same under-construction building. However, there are no official complaints in this regard. 

On Thursday, the Hennur police produced property owners Muni Reddy, his son Bhuvan Reddy and Muniappa, the contractor till the construction of the fourth floor of the building, before the magistrate, who remanded them in judicial custody. 

"We are investigating from all angles. Prima facie, it appears that there were lapses by the owners,” an investigator said.