BDA may scrap Prestige Group’s building plan

BDA may scrap Prestige Group’s building plan

Authorities are angry that the builders took no damage-control measures after a portion of their building collapsed

Atul Chaturvedi
Posted On Friday, December 12, 2008 at 01:16:10 AM

In view of the four deaths due to the Prestige Shanthiniketan building collapse in Whitefield, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is set to withdraw the building plan of the Prestige Group. BDA commissioner H Siddaiah, who visited the site on Monday night, instructed his officials to book a criminal case against the contractors and executives of the Prestige Group.

The promoters had not taken any damage-control measures after a portion of the 16-storeyed building collapsed on Oct 23, killing two persons. While the police blamed the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for allowing
the construction, the BBMP in turn charged the BDA with having given the green signal for the building plan. It is in this backdrop that the BDA is contemplating withdrawal of the approval. “We are looking at the legal procedures before taking a decision,” a BDA official said.

Siddaiah refused to comment on the issue. He said a committee comprising IISc professors and executives of Torsteel Foundation will inquire into the incident and submit a report in a week’s time.