Valiyangadi mishap: Kozhikode corporation orders structural audit of all its buildings

Kozhikode: Even as protests intensified over the alleged lapses of Kozhikode Corporation that claimed the lives of four persons, mayor O Sadasivan defended the civic body's position. On Monday morning, four persons were killed and one injured when the concrete slab of a five-decade-old building owned by the corporation collapsed at Valiyangadi.Addressing a news conference convened in the wake of the tragedy, he said the corporation had decided to rebuild 16 old buildings in 2022 itself, including the one that collapsed at Valiyangadi. Existing tenants were not asked to vacate, considering the social implications as hundreds of traders were operating from these premises, he said.Sadasivan said he has sought a comprehensive report after ordering a detailed structural stability assessment of all buildings owned by the corporation. A thorough enquiry will be conducted with the support of the govt, covering the incident and decisions taken so far. The mayor also announced financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.Responding to questions about the engineering wing having flagged the building as structurally weak in 2024, Sadasivan said officials had not submitted a report declaring it unfit. Hence, while no new leases were granted, existing tenants were allowed to continue operations, he added.Meanwhile, the corporation initiated steps to evict shops functioning in the building where the sunshade slab had collapsed. A technical inspection found the structure to be in a dilapidated condition. The corporation secretary directed shop owners to remove their belongings and vacate the premises. A notice to this effect was pasted on the building.Protests continued on Tuesday, with BJP marching to the corporation office and IUML also staging protests.Shops in Valiyangadi were closed and nearly 1,000 workers stayed away from work. Many attended the funerals of the deceased. Over 100 trucks, including those that arrived with loads from various states, were left waiting in Valiyangadi without unloading their goods.State human rights commission member K Byjunath, who visited the accident site, directed that all old and structurally unsafe buildings owned by govt, semi-govt and LSG institutions must be inspected and renovated on a war footing to prevent such mishaps. He directed the corporation secretary and the collector to submit a report on the incident within a week.