Mehfil building collapse: Impact on adjacent buildings not severe, but immediate support required, says audit
National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research submits report to Chandigarh estate officer after conducting structural audit of the building, which was also affected by the January 6 collapse
Three days after the four-storey old Mehfil restaurant building collapsed in Sector 17-C, the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTTR), Sector 26, which conducted a survey of the adjacent building, reported that damage to the structures was not very severe. However, the institute recommended providing immediate support to the affected areas of the adjacent building.
The report was submitted on Thursday to UT estate officer-cum-deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav.
The Mehfil restaurant building, which had already been vacated on December 31 after cracks appeared in three load-bearing pillars during ongoing renovation work, had come down around 7 am on January 6.
The collapse also caused damage to the adjoining “Darshan Building”, which houses over 20 commercial tenants, including jewellery stores, offices and immigration consultancies. Cracks appeared in its walls, and two columns near the boundary wall sustained damage.
Following the incident, the deputy commissioner had sealed the adjacent building and directed NITTTR to submit its structural report.
Further, under Section 34 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, he directed that the building remain evacuated until its structural stability was thoroughly inspected and clearance was issued.
The deputy commissioner had also ordered a probe into the Mehfil building collapse, seeking a report from sub-divisional magistrate (SDM, Central) Naveen by January 10.
Key recommendations for building’s rehab
In its report, the institute observed that the damage to the walls of SCO 181-182 caused by the collapse of the adjoining building (SCO 183-185) was not severe and that the building could be rehabilitated.
No damage was observed in the beams, columns or slab of the building areas located farther from the collapsed structure. However, external beams and outer columns were found damaged, while internal beams and columns remained unaffected.
The institute recommended erecting temporary supports to ensure the stability of the building.
To stabilise the structure, the building needs to be supported with steel props of adequate capacity, as specified by the structural engineer, beneath the existing beams adjacent to the collapsed portion.
“All outer columns must be supported by constructing brick columns with a load-bearing capacity equivalent to the damaged columns. These brick columns should be erected near the damaged ones. The ground-floor slab should be supported using rigid props (shuttering),” the NITTTR report stated.
The institute also advised removing the debris in a controlled manner to minimise vibrations.
Additionally, it emphasised that to make the building safe for use, a comprehensive rehabilitation evaluation should be carried out, as suggested by a structural engineer. The execution of the rehabilitation work should be undertaken by a specialised agency.