LDA to conduct structural audit of ageing Vikas Deep building
The audit will be carried out by one of the nine private firms already empanelled with the LDA. Officials said that quotations will be invited and the most cost-effective proposal will be selected.
The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has decided to carry out a structural audit of the 15-storey, ageing Vikas Deep commercial complex near Burlington intersection, a day after a man died when a portion of the building’s balcony collapsed. The structure houses several government and private offices and commercial establishments, drawing hundreds of people daily.
Occupants of the building claimed that structural issues had been visible for years, with little to no action taken. “Only one lift functions; the others are filled with garbage,” said one office worker. “The front portion is maintained to some extent, but the back side is crumbling. LDA teams have come several times, but the condition remains the same.”
LDA officials said a Residents Welfare Association (RWA) has already been constituted for the complex, placing the responsibility of maintenance on it. LDA’s additional secretary Gyanendra Verma confirmed that the authority had written twice to the RWA requesting a structural audit. The audit has now been formally ordered, and further decisions will follow the findings.
Following the incident, LDA officials inspected the over-30-year-old site on Wednesday evening. They cited the building’s age and monkey activity as potential factors behind the structural damage. “Monkeys frequently scale the walls, which causes additional wear and tear,” said an official on Thursday.
The audit will be carried out by one of the nine private firms already empanelled with the LDA. Officials said that quotations will be invited and the most cost-effective proposal will be selected. The agency will conduct a technical survey to assess the extent of damage, determine the cause of the collapse, and provide repair estimates.
Officials added that neighbouring buildings, many of which are also decades old, are showing early signs of distress. Depending on the audit results at Vikas Deep, similar inspections could be initiated across the area to prevent further mishaps.
