Building safe for residents says structural audit report

Mumbai: A structural audit of the 32-storey Lloyd’s Estate building in Wadala, which was conducted on Tuesday, revealed that the structure was safe to stay in. However, residents continued to be fearful after Monday’s mishap, where a compound wall of the building collapsed amid heavy rain, leading to the caving in of an internal road and a parking lot.

The Lloyd’s Estate building comprises of two wings, with each floor having four flats, and every seventh floor having a refuge point. The building has basement parking as well as slit.

A court-appointed structural engineer, Shantilal Jain, visited the building and certified that the two buildings were resting on a pile foundation, and that the cave in would not affect their structural stability. The report was submitted to various departments of the BMC as well as the deputy chief engineer and building proposals department.

Mr Jain suggested remedial measures to be taken up immediately. His report said, “The developer is directed to immediately backfill the caved portion walls with murum, concrete and rubble to stop caving.” Not only has Dosti Builders started filling the caved in portion, the developer has also resumed construction work, according to residents. Meanwhile, civic officials stated that the developer had been ordered to fill the caved in portion on priority basis.

Assistant commissioner, F-north ward, Keshav Ubale, said, “The BMC has issued a letter to the builder and we have asked him to fill the caved in portion on priority basis.” On the complaints by the residents, he said, “The matter is in court. We have already initiated an internal inquiry.”

He said the structural auditor had given residents the green signal to continue staying in the buildings.