The retaining gutter slab near the Taad Maad shrine at St Inez has partially collapsed once again, following a similar incident in June 2024. The latest collapse occurred during the ongoing Smart City project, specifically while workers were laying a 710mm HDPE pipeline as part of the sewerage work. Thankfully, both devotees and workers in the vicinity at the time managed to escape without harm.
The incident has raised concerns over the safety of ongoing infrastructure projects in the area, as the retaining slab's collapse had been a recurring issue. Residents and locals are urging authorities to address the structural weaknesses and ensure proper precautions are in place to prevent further accidents. This incident highlights the challenges involved in large-scale urban development projects and the need for thorough planning, especially when working in areas with historical or cultural significance. Investigations are expected to follow to ascertain the exact cause of the collapse and determine if the earlier incident had any influence on the recurrence. Although the incident took place yesterday, no officials arrived to conduct an inspection.
'Authorities undertaking works here are so irresponsible that inspite of knowing that the slab had collapsed earlier, they have excavated so deep right next to the shrine', says a local resident