Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 22: A high level expert committee constituted by the Government has squarely blamed New Delhi based consultancy firm for its inability to envisage behaviour of the soil after digging for construction of new Legislature complex just adjacent to the existing structure leading to collapse of portion of the building and cracks in other parts.
In its report submitted to the General Administration Department (GAD), the expert committee constituted by the Government a day after collapse/cracks in the Legislature building on the intervening night of December 10 and 11, has observed that the area has slided probably due to moisture in the soil, which mainly comprised of clay and boulder.
In a significant opinion, the Committee has suggested that any effort to further excavate the segment to achieve the proposed building line shall be dangerous and, as such, the decision of the JKPCC, the executing agency for the building, not to excavate further should be maintained.
The Committee had mentioned in detail the safe/unsafe areas in its report. While the Legislative Council Hall, Lobby and its offices and Central Hall of Legislature, where the Governor had to address joint session of the Legislature have been declared safe, the chambers of the Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister, the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister and some other offices of the Legislative Assembly have been described as unsafe and required repair works.
The Committee comprising top Engineers heading various agencies in the State and officials of Works Department have observed that the area, which collapsed, is a structure, which has probably been constructed as an extension to the Central Hall.
“The main reason for collapse seems to be the bulkage of clayey having excessive moisture in it and the unpredictable behaviour of strata beneath the structure’’, the Report said.
Asserting that the Committee had a look at the plan proposed for the safety of hill slope as proposed by the Consultant and physically fabricated panels made for the purpose, the Report said the Panel has observed that the measures couldn’t be taken as the failure started before the proposed shoring line could be excavated.
“This phenomenon of the behaviour of the soil couldn’t be envisaged by the Consultant namely M/s Consulting Engineering Services (CES), New Delhi, who are the Consultants of this project’’, the Report said in a virtual indictment of the consultancy firm.
It added: “the soil below the foundation was observed to have excessive moisture at this location. At this stage, the only measures, which the JKPCC could have taken was to start the construction of R(Retention)/Wall at the proposed location which they had done and the toe heal of R/Wall was seem to have been constructed’’.
Noting that the Panel had first hand assessment of the situation and measures taken for safety of the building before and after the mishap, it observed that the area had slided probably due to moisture in the soil, which mainly comprised of clay and boulder.
“Prima facie it appeared that some of the required precautions had been taken before collapse. As regard after collapse, some measures were taken on emergency basis, which were required to be continued aggressively. The JKPCC is advised to consult the Consultant and get workable proposal for stabilizing the existing building and also provide methodology to get the works executed for new building as per the proposal already envisaged’’, the Report recommended.
The Committee members have recommended short treating of excavated slopes being taken up, placing sand bags at vulnerable position, covering of the fresh cut slope with tarpaulins, diversion of drainage stands, drouting of the cracks along the Legislative Council building and removal of suspended/collapsed slab portion to reduce the over burden.
The Committee observed that the construction was going on segment wise and two segments along the temple line have already been addressed in the same fashion. The excavation of the segment next to the damaged segment has not been completed as yet.
“The Committee is of the opinion that any effort to further excavate the segment to achieve the proposed building line shall be dangerous and, as such, the decision of the MD JKPCC not to excavate further should be maintained. In the segments of construction along the Legislative Council building, the toe of the excavated line is still over 11 meters away from the foundation of the existing building. However, in order to avoid any further risk, the excavation shouldn’t be extended further till comprehensive proposal was proposed by the JKPCC’’, the Report said.
The Panel had suggested that the areas declared unsafe in the Report should be kept out of bound from any activity except for staff of the JKPCC engaged in the repair operation. The cracks have already been marked by the JKPCC and are being monitors, which needs to be continued, the Report said.
“To make a temporary ramp for shifting of the machinery, cutting in the benches was done safely away from the existing building line. When this was done, a small portion of areas in front of the Assembly building slided due to excessive moisture in the soil, which was plugged immediately with sand bags.
“The earth work in the adjacent area was stopped immediately and advise of the Consultant was sought. The Consultant visited the site as per his advice the work was suspended in view of onset of Monsoon season, The construction actively was then diverted in the areas towards the Police Station for away from the Legislative Assembly building and the columns raised up to first slab level’’, the Report said.
In the meantime, it added, staff of Estates Department as well as Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council was requested to lock all toilets located along back side of existing building.
The Government had vide Order No. 1309-GAD of 2012 ordered an inquiry into the collapse/cracks in portion of Legislature complex on December 11 and asked the Committee to identify cause that led to the collapse of the wall/ceiling and structural damage to the existing building, steps taken by the contractor and engineers to safeguard the existing building before the damage was caused, identify areas which are safe/unsafe for use and measures required to be taken to prevent further damage to the existing building.
The Committee paid a number of visits to the construction site and existing building complex before finalizing the Report.
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