Wall collapse: HC orders setting up of panel to implement IIT's suggestions

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The Bombay High Court ordered today that a three-member panel be set up to implement remedial measures suggested by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Bombay following the collapse of a building wall here.

The committee will comprise a senior civic officer and two experts from IIT-Bombay.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Dosti Blossom Cooperative Housing Society, located near the building whose wall collapsed in suburban Wadala last month, challenging permissions granted to Dosti Realty for constructing multi-storeyed buildings in that area.

Several cars in the petitioner building's parking lot were damaged after the wall of its adjacent building had collapsed.

The petition also alleged that because of the ongoing constructions by Dosti Realty, their building had developed cracks.

The high court had earlier this month directed IIT-Bombay to form an expert team to inspect the site of the wall collapse in Wadala and suggest both interim and permanent remedial measures.

The team had in its interim report said last week that the soil in the area was mainly construction debris which allows water ingress and hence, would be prone to such incidents in future too.

It had submitted several short-term remedial measures to be undertaken by the developer.

The bench said today that the IIT report will have to be followed "in letter and spirit".

"We do not want anyone to object to the report and its recommendations. This is a serious issue. Immediate steps have to be taken to ensure that no harm or damage is done to buildings," a division bench of Justices A S Oka and Riyaz Chagla said.

"With the view to ensure that IIT's recommendations are effectively implemented, it is necessary that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's commissioner appoints a senior officer. The IIT too shall nominate two experts. A committee shall be set up comprising these three persons," the court said.

The committee shall supervise the work of remedial measures recommended by the IIT expert team.

The bench has posted the petition for further hearing on July 27.