Hospicio annex building's 'chajja' collapses

No one was injured in the incident, but it has brought to the fore the question over the structural stability of the annex building. Margao Urban Health officials took no chance and as a matter of abundant caution shifted the health centre’s activities to the vacant Hospicio heritage building.

The incident occurred when the building was crowded with parents and children given that Thursday in a scheduled immunization day. After the incident came to light after the chajja came crashing down with a loud sound with the debris lying scattered in the courtyard, Urban health officials took a call to shift the operations to the vacant Hospicio heritage building.

Margao Urban Health Officer Dr Succoro Quadros, who is on medical leave, also came rushing to the Hospicio complex to take stock of the situation. “We have decided not to take any chances. Hence, the health officials have decided to shift the urban health activities to the adjoining vacant Hospicio heritage building”, Dr Quadros said.

Saying that a piece of a chajja collapsed at around 10.30 am, Dr Amita Lotlikar told the media that the immunization activities were immediately shifted to the adjoining heritage building as a precautionary measure. “No one was injured or harmed in the incident. But, as a precautionary measure, we evacuated the staff and people from the ground floor into the adjoining building, We also shifted the immunization activities to the other side of the heritage building”, Dr Lotlikar added.

Later, officials of the PWD inspected the building and took stock of the situation. PWD Executive Engineer D’Souza issued instructions to clear the debris from the courtyard and also inspect the couple of chajjas on the annex building.

A PWD engineer maintained that the collapse of the chajja does not pose threat to the annex building since the overhanging slab was exposed to rains.