VTU tries to wash hands off building collapse incident

An incident, in which 16 labourers were injured due to the collapse of a part of an under-construction building of a skill development centre by Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) near Mysuru, has come to light.

The University is constructing the centre on 34 acres of land at Boranahalli.

According to the information available with DH, a part of the under-construction building collapsed injuring 16 labourers on September 11. Some of them were severely injured and are still under treatment at various hospitals.

Sources confirmed to DH that a police complaint was been filed at Alanahalli police station.

The sources said, "Three labourers were injured severely and one of them has lost two legs. He is undergoing treatment at a private hospital and two others have lost hands. They are admitted to a government hospital."

However, the University has not ordered for inquiry or sought a report despite such a serious incident.

"The construction work has been given to Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) and they have assigned the same to some private contractors. But the VTU authorities have not even bothered to visit the place or the injured labourers so far. There is no inquiry ordered yet," the sources added.

The University released Rs 20 crore towards construction 10 days before the incident. The total cost of the project is Rs 60 crore.

When asked, the VTU officials said that the construction work has been assigned to KHB and it is in no way responsible for it.

"It is the responsibility of the KHB as we have given the work to them. Our resident engineer has visited and said only the small portico portion of the building collapsed and two or three people were injured," a VTU official said.