The residents of 192 apartments in the four towers of Shiv Residency at Bhimrad were evacuated after the compound wall along with a portion of the adjacent land collapsed into a deep foundation pit at a construction site in the neighborhood. The incident scared the residents of the area to the core and they also informed the authorities immediately who then took prompt actions.
The collapse of the cement concrete retaining wall of a foundation pit at a project led by the Raj Lakshmi Group happened late at night. As the cement concrete retaining wall of the foundation pit at the project site gave way, the boundary wall of Shiv Residency also caved in, thus creating an atmosphere of panic among the people living in the adjacent buildings. The pit in question is said to be more than 50 feet deep, and the ground next to it had been weakened heavily resulting in the fall of the parking shed while only a few vehicles that were there were saved.
After a first look into the matter, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) reacted by revoking the licences of four individuals who were responsible for the project, thus implying that they were at fault for neglecting safety precautions. . "The ground adjoining the foundation pit weakened significantly. The pit is over 50 feet deep. A parking shed also collapsed, while a few parked vehicles were pulled to safety," an SFES official said. The licences of architect Suresh Maurya, structural engineer Jalil Shaikh, developer Tushar Ribadiya of Raj Lakshmi Group, and site supervisor Tejas Jasani were revoked due to their involvement in the case.
The Surat Fire and Emergency Services (SFES) got an emergency call at about 11:34 pm and immediately sent the fire brigade to the scene for a check. After the area was made safe, SFES informed the different departments of the SMC to take action at once. "As a precautionary measure, residents of all four buildings — comprising 192 apartments — were asked to vacate. They have shifted to alternative accommodations," an SMC official said.
The next moves of SMC teams after the inspection led to locating four residential buildings in Shiv Residency that were in danger. "In order to avoid any danger, the people living in the four buildings — containing 192 apartments — had to leave their homes. They have now taken refuge in other places," informed an SMC official. In the middle of the night, many people came out of their houses and went down to the road. It was because they were scared that their buildings might fall. After the SMC checked out the situation the following day, locals were permitted a short stay in their apartments to grab necessary items before leaving the area.
Residents of Shiv Residency were surprised by the sudden evacuation and thus worried but at the same time, they showed their appreciation for the quick response by the SMC and SFES teams. This incident acts as a reminder to the authorities of the necessity to follow the safety regulations in construction very strictly, especially in places that are rapidly urbanizing.
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