BENGALURU: A day after seven persons died when a compound wall of Bowring Hospital crashed on them following heavy rain on Wednesday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ordered the suspension of an executive engineer, tightened safety measures, and directed the eviction of vendors from near unsteady and dangerous structures.
The action follows a high-level review meeting at Vidhana Soudha on Thursday attended by senior ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, and senior civic officials. The Chief Minister's Office said the engineer from Karnataka Health Systems Development Project, held responsible for the lapse, has been suspended with immediate effect.
Pulling up Bowring Hospital over alleged supervision failures, Siddaramaiah directed authorities to issue a notice to the hospital regarding soil dumping near the weakened wall. "Why was mud allowed to be piled up when it could weaken the structure?" he asked, holding both engineering staff and hospital authorities accountable.
Vulnerable Locations Being Identified
Shivakumar said vulnerable locations across the city are being identified and mapped, with a focus on clearing encroachments around dangerous structures. "Instructions have been given to remove street vendors from unsafe structures in the city. Weak trees and branches on all roads in Bengaluru are being pruned. Police and BBMP officials have prepared a joint list," he added.
Monsoon Preparedness
Siddaramaiah noted that over 250 trees were uprooted by the rain that lashed Bengaluru on Wednesday. He directed civic agencies to fix potholes, clear debris, and strengthen monitoring. With the monsoon approaching, the CM instructed zonal commissioners to step up preparedness, including desilting stormwater drains and managing flood-prone areas, while ensuring safety around vulnerable infrastructure.
Political Reactions
In Kalaburagi, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge urged the Karnataka government to take preventive steps and address structural safety concerns. "One version called it an old compound. Another version claimed it was not constructed properly. The government should act and ensure there is no repeat of such incidents," he said.
