Simhachalam temple wall was built hastily, admits contractor
Visakhapatnam: The contractor, who built the ill-fated wall that collapsed killing seven devotees in Simhachalam temple, has acknowledged before the three-member committee that the structure was constructed hastily without proper design, following persistent requests from endowments and tourism engineers for the annual Chandanotsavam.
During its 10-hour inquiry, the committee initially observed that the wall's construction violated the master plan and lacked necessary permissions.
It may be noted that seven devotees lost their lives and one person was injured when the wall collapsed early on Wednesday during Chandanotsavam, following heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds.
The committee, comprising MA&UD principal secretary Suresh Kumar, irrigation department engineer-in-chief Venkateswara Rao, and IG rank IPS officer Ake Ravikrishna, inspected the site and found that the wall's construction violated the master plan and lacked necessary permissions. The renovation of the temple under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) scheme, contracted to M/s K Ananta Rao and Co Company, remains incomplete despite a May 2024 deadline.
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The committee expressed displeasure towards the temple's executive officer Subba Rao, executive engineer Srinivasa Raju, and tourism department engineer.
During the probe, the contractor, Lakshman Rao, stated that both departments requested a temporary wall for queue management. While the engineers claimed non-involvement in the construction work, the contractor disclosed their presence from the second day of the four-day construction period.
The committee investigated whether officials followed proper documentation, including notes, work orders, and meeting minutes. They also enquired about the implementation of the recommendations made by the PRASAD scheme committee.
Suresh Kumar informed the media about their decision to re-examine the incident. He noted the retaining wall's collapse appeared to be linked to structural quality issues.
"We will focus on works in the temple, whether they were constructed by following the master plan or not. We will submit a preliminary report based on the inquiry to the govt. A comprehensive report with failures and loopholes will be submitted in 30 days. We will inquire about the people involved in the works," he said.
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