This is what a boundary wall of building, located in the middle of the city, warns to everyone passing near Karamtoli Chowk in the State capital, Ranchi. The wall says — ‘please keep away for your own safety’!
Drawing attention of the passersby, but getting failed miserably in attacking district administration or array of officials responsible is not the only one in the capital city. There are several dilapidated boundary walls and buildings located at some of the prime locations of the state capital posing a serious threat on the life of anyone who has no knowledge when his next step is going to be walk under the wall.
Besides the boundary wall of Western Jharkhand Section of SDA at Karamtoli Chowk another is of the residential complex at Audrey House just opposite to the Jharkhand Judicial Academy, again located at prime locations remain busy all the time.
People at Western Jharkhand Section of SDA at Karamtoli Chowk, when contacted revealed that they had erected a strong boundary with sufficient columns in it for a better support, but it was weakened by the contractor who dug a trench to lay down the pipeline just beside the road.
“Despite his promises that he will get the boundary wall repaired, the contractor left it alone and hanging in the air posing a severe threat on the passerby, especially the school kids and other people walking beside the road,” said the treasurer of the Western Jharkhand Section of SDA, Sheeshpal Singh.
Singh further added that they made several attempts to get the boundary wall repaired by the contractor and also wrote to the PWD as well as PHED departments, but all in vain…… no one was there to hear them. Finally in the public interest, they wrote a caution note on the wall to ‘keep away as the boundary wall might fall anytime’ to avoid any untoward incident to happen.
Similarly, boundary wall of the residential Complex locate just beside the Audrey House, is also tilted towards the roadside and is a big threat to the people going through it. When official’s attention was drawn towards Audrey House, the official said that he will look into it and take proper steps so that the boundary wall is repaired soon.
Officials of the Building Construction Department however, when contacted, claimed that the responsibility of causing any damage during the construction work lies on the contractor who has caused the damage and was supposed to get it repaired at his own cost.
“As it is private building, the department cannot get it constructed. It is however the duty of the contractor to get it repaired immediately or the cost of the repair will be deducted from his bill,” said an official of Building Construction Department requesting anonymity. He however, said that he will get it verified and take the necessary steps in this regard.
Ranchi Deputy Commissioner on the other hand, said that in case of government buildings, he would get it verified and re-constructed, while in the case of private buildings, a suo motu case of creating public nuisance under Section 133 of CrPC could be initiated against the owner of the building.
“Depending on the condition of the structure, the administration may get it demolished, expenses for which will be taken care by the owner of that building,” said DC Manoj Kumar. Kumar however, promised that proper action will be taken after seeking a technical report on such structures from Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) and other concerned agencies.
