The Karnataka Lokayukta has decided to initiate proceedings against several senior officials, including Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and Greater Bengaluru Authority Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao over the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital compound wall collapse that killed seven people.
According to a report by the Deccan Herald, Lokayukta Justice BS Patil said the case would also include commissioners of five city corporations, the Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary of the Medical Education Department, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (East), traffic police officers, and local jurisdictional police staff. He said all officials connected to civic administration and safety lapses surrounding the incident would be made parties to the case.
While the Commercial Street police have registered a case of unnatural death in connection with the incident nobody has been booked yet.
On Thursday, April 30, Justice Patil, along with Upa Lokayuktas Justice KN Phaneendra and Justice B Veerappa, visited the hospital to inspect the site and meet the injured. The three-member team also reviewed the condition of the collapsed wall and surrounding areas.
According to the Lokayukta, the initial inspection showed that the wall had been constructed using cement hollow blocks and had a weak foundation. A large quantity of sand dumped next to the wall is also believed to have weakened the structure further, leading to its collapse during rainfall.
Justice Patil described the incident as a result of “maladministration” and said negligence on the part of civic agencies was evident. He said the tragedy reflected a broader pattern of civic failure in Bengaluru, where such incidents repeatedly occur during the monsoon despite heavy rains being a regular and predictable event.
The Lokayukta said he would register a suo motu case not just limited to the Bowring Hospital incident, but also covering similar risks across the state to prevent future tragedies. He has sought a detailed report on the reasons behind the collapse and directed officials of the Greater Bengaluru Authority and other departments to conduct inspections across the city to identify unsafe compound walls, dilapidated buildings, and weak trees in public places.
“Such weak structures should be demolished immediately and new ones should be built,” he was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
The Lokayukta also instructed officials to ensure proper garbage clearance around the hospital and address waterlogging issues in and around the premises.
The Justices also visited the flooded underpass at KR Circle and said action would be initiated against GBA officials for repeated flooding and civic negligence. They directed authorities to find a permanent solution to the waterlogging problem and noted that similar issues at underpasses in Seshadripuram and Tindlu had been resolved earlier.
The Lokayukta said summons would be issued to the officials responsible for such lapses and strict action would follow after a thorough inquiry.