Dilapidated structure collapses in Margao; crumbling buildings once again pose threat to public safety

The collapsed wall of an old structure on Erasmo Carvalho Road in the heart of the commercial capital.

Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar

MARGAO
An old and dilapidated structure on the busy and congested Erasmo Carvalho road in the heart of the commercial capital, which once housed a transport warehouse, came crashing down on Thursday morning.

Fortunately, no one was injured nor any vehicle damaged in the incident as the debris lay strewn on the road, but the collapse has only brought to the fore the old and dilapidated structures standing tall in the commercial capital, posing danger to pedestrians and motorists alike.

This is the third incident where portion of buildings have come crashing down in the commercial capital during the current monsoon season.

A retired teacher, Agnelo Mascarenhas said that the wall of the structure came down just couple of seconds before he crossed the area. “While I was heading to the nearby shop, I made a halt to allow a vehicle to go. But, the vehicle driver signalled to me to proceed first. The wall collapsed behind me after I walked a few steps,” he said.

Similarly, retired Home Guard Vimal said she was taken aback by a sound just behind her while she was walking on the street, only to find the debris all scattered on the road.

Scribes immediately brought the matter to the notice of the Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, besides Additional Collector, South and in-charge of Disaster Management Cell, Ramesh Gaonkar, Margao Municipal Engineer Deepak Desai as the debris as well as the wall posed danger to motorists.

The Margao Municipality immediately sent a gang of labourers, which manually cleared the debris from the road.

Questions, however, remained unanswered – how come this structure, which once housed the transport warehouse, never came under the lens of the Margao Municipal Council or the disaster management authority.

Locals pointed out that the closed structure was indeed posing a risk and danger for pedestrians and motorists on the busy road given that it was unoccupied and the structural stability unknown.

Margao civic body clears debris, but dangerous wall still stands

MARGAO: The debris scattered on the Erasmo Carvalho road has been removed by Margao Municipal labourers around Thursday noon.

Locals as well as motorists, however, have a question or two for the Margao Municipal Council and the District Disaster Management Authority – who will raze down the wall of the ill-fated structure, posing danger to pedestrians and vehicles plying on the busy road?

For, while the road and mud has been cleared of the road, the wall appears hanging dangerously, with locals raising fears of its imminent collapse.

A local citizen pointed out that just a push from a JCB machine could have brought down the dangerous wall. However, by late evening, the wall still stood tall, with no authority — including the Margao Municipal Council or the Disaster Management Authority — deploying machinery to raze it.

“Are the authorities waiting for a tragedy to strike pedestrians and motorists to act and raze down the wall standing dangerously along the public road,” questioned a citizen, while demanding that Margao MLA Digambar Kamat immediately direct the Margao civic body to clear the wall before it claims the lives of innocent citizens.

Call for count of dilapidated bldgs along Erasmo Carvalho Road

MARGAO: Guess how many old and dilapidated structures and buildings are lining along the busy Erasmo Carvalho street in the commercial capital?

Officials of the South Goa Disaster Management Authority and the Margao Municipal Council has a task cut out to inspect and find out the number of dilapidated buildings lining up on the busy road and posing danger to the pedestrians and motorists alike.

“The collapse of the wall of the old structure on Thursday is indeed a wakeup call for the authorities, including the Margao Municipal Council and the Disaster Management Authority to go on the field to head count the number of dilapidated structures dotting the city,” remarked a citizen.

The citizen warned: “It is a sheer providence that no one was injured in the incident nor there was any damage to property and vehicles. The time has come for the authorities to do a head count of all old structures which shows signs of strain on stability and posing danger. Let the citizens of Margao know whether these authorities do not carry out their job.”

Indeed, a ride down the busy road would bring to the fore a couple of dilapidated structures lining on both sides, including a building, where one can see iron rods protruding from the concrete sajja, but playing host to business establishments on the ground floor.

A week ago, a government constituted team comprising of Goa Engineering College, Margao Municipal Council and PWD officials have descended on the Erasmo Carvalho Road to inspect a dilapidated building. A week later, locals have come across new business activity on the ground floor of the building, throwing up questions, whether the business activity has started with the permission from the local civic body or whether the MMC officials have turned a blind eye to the activity for reasons best known to them.

A local citizen has made a fervent plea to the Chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority, Egna Cletus, who is also the district Collector, to personally take a round of the city and see for herself how old and dilapidated buildings are standing tall abutting congested roads.