A section of a balcony came crashing down in Gurugram's Sector 37D on Thursday after incessant rainfall overnight continued into the morning. There were no immediate reports of any injuries.
The incident took place in Tower E, where residents said they heard a loud crash after part of a second-floor balcony broke off and fell to the ground. No injuries were reported as the flat was unoccupied at the time.
Police and officials from the local administration arrived at the spot shortly after the collapse. The area was barricaded and a preliminary inspection was carried out. Authorities have initiated an investigation to determine what caused the balcony to give way.
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The balcony collapse in Gurugram's Tower E is under investigation to determine its cause, following incessant rainfall that may have contributed to the incident.
Residents are demanding a structural audit to ensure the entire residential complex is safe, as the collapse raised concerns about structural integrity and maintenance issues.
Local authorities promptly responded to the collapse by barricading the area, conducting preliminary inspections, and initiating an investigation into the incident.
Residents expressed concerns about negligence and poor maintenance standards by the builder, citing past warnings and a protest over deteriorating amenities.
Given the balcony collapse and the demands for a structural audit, residents may have valid concerns about safety until a thorough evaluation confirms the buildings' structural integrity.
The collapse has fuelled outrage among residents, who blamed the builder for alleged negligence. They claimed they had repeatedly flagged concerns about poor maintenance and safety standards and had even staged a protest inside the society last month over the deteriorating condition of basic amenities.
In the aftermath of the incident, residents urged the administration to commission an independent third-party structural audit - a thorough technical evaluation of the stability of the entire residential complex - arguing that the safety of all towers must be thoroughly evaluated before they can be considered structurally sound.
"This is a deeply alarming incident. Although the flat was unoccupied, the falling debris could have seriously injured residents passing below. The collapse has also damaged a pillar, raising concerns about the structural safety of the entire tower. We will file a police complaint and seek an investigation by the Department of Town and Country Planning (DTP)," Hemant Kumar, president of the society's Residents' Welfare Association (RWA), was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
The incident has intensified demands from residents for accountability from the builder, along with a comprehensive structural safety assessment of the project, even as authorities continue their investigation.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast more rainfall in Gurugram over the coming days after heavy showers lashed the city on Thursday morning, leading to widespread waterlogging and major traffic disruptions.
Traffic moved at a snail's pace on several key routes, including the Delhi-Jaipur Highway service lane near Narsinghpur, Basai, Kadipur and Sohna Road, with several vehicles breaking down after being stranded in waterlogged stretches.
Residents also reported several rain-related incidents across the city. A cyclist allegedly fell into a pit dug for a sewer line in Feroze Gandhi Colony, while a cow was injured after slipping into another excavation site on Wednesday. In a separate incident, a school bus became stuck on a dug-up stretch in Rajendra Park, according to locals.
(With inputs from news agency PTI)
