Contractor claims pressure to build wall before Simhachalam tragedy
VISAKHAPATNAM: A day after the tragic incident at the Simhachalam temple, where seven devotees lost their lives due to the collapse of a retaining wall during Chandanotsavam, contractor Lakshmana Rao has made serious revelations regarding the construction of the wall. 'I was pressured to build the wall,' Rao, who was responsible for the wall's construction, told the three-member inquiry committee during the investigation.
The three-member committee, appointed by the State government, began its investigation into the incident in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.
The committee members visited Simhachalam, and began examining the circumstances surrounding the wall collapse. Officials have been directed to submit a detailed report within 72 hours.
Rao, in his testimony to the committee, stated that he had initially refused to undertake the construction due to the extremely tight timeline before the festival. 'There was hardly any time left, and I clearly informed them that it wasn't feasible to build the wall in just six days,' he said. Despite his objections, Rao claimed that officials from both the Devasthanam and the Tourism Department insisted that he proceed with the project.
'They pressured me to build the wall. I was told it was only a temporary structure,' he added.
Rao further revealed that the construction work began just four days before Chandanotsavam, raising concerns about the quality of the work given the short time frame.
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