Lokayukta banks on VJTI report which said inferior construction material is responsible for quick damage
The Maharashtra Lokayukyta has prima facie found four top officials of public works department (PWD) of Maharashtra (all retired now) responsible for the substandard construction of Mazgaon court building which became inhabitable due to serious structural damage within 16 years of construction and forcing emergency evacuation of 12 Metropolitan courts to Sewri sessions courts in 2013.
The Lokayukta, during the third hearing on the case on Monday, observed that the executive engineers KB Karnik and VR Shegaon, and superintendent engineers AW Kulkarni and NR Joshi, who held the post in the department when construction of the building took place in 1992-96 appear to be accountable for the substandard construction.
Lokayukta observed, "Major reasons behind the irreparable structural damage was inferior quality of concrete and absence of anti-corrosion material in construction."
All four were issued notices by the Lokayukta office on January 15 to present their side. On Monday, while Joshi and Karnik were present in the hearing, Kulkarni remained absent. Shegaon submitted his reply in writing saying that he joined the department after construction was over. The other two pleaded innocence and claimed that the heavy corrosion was not due to poor quality material but due to salt water and climate near sea.
The Lokayuta justice ML Tahiliani had taken suo motu cognisance of the case last October after realising that the state government neither fixed responsibility nor took any action against any official. Detailed reports were sought from the PWD with also directing the department officials to be personally present during hearing.
Lokayukta is relying on a report of Veermata Jeejabai Technological Institute (VJTI) which had conducted a structural audit of the building before evacuation in 2013 and had pointed out towards 60% concrete deficiency. The report was submitted to the Bombay High Court in 2013, said (retd) PB Kurhekar, registrar of Lokayukta.
The Lokayukta also directed the PWD to verify the Shegaon's submission. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for February 9. If the Lokayukta holds them guilty, the officials may lose their retirement benefits and criminal proceedings against them might be initiated.
The five-storey Mazgaon court building constructed in 1997 was found structurally "weak" in July 2013. "A well-constructed building does not require any major repairs for 30 to 40 years and its minimum life is 60 to 100 years. The chloride content in the cement indicates corrosion and this could be due to poor RCC material," said a civil engineering professor of VJTI.
A retired judge recalls, "One of the first incidents was when a lift crashed to the ground floor from the third floor, then a slab collapsed on the fifth floor, this was followed by a slab falling near a judge in court. A portion of third floor slab also fell along with several cracks in the pillars prompting us to vacate in haste."
Constructed in 1997 by the state PWD, the Mazgaon court building stands five-storeys tall. It housed 13 courtrooms and a special MCOCA court, as many as 2,000-2,500 cases were heard daily, around 10,000 people would visit the premises, including judges, advocates, accused, policemen, litigants and court staff.
Now a multi-storey court towering over 17-storeys at a cost of Rs387 crore is being proposed, after pulling down the now-abandoned Mazgaon magistrates court.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Mazgaon court")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}