NT Reporter
Mapusa
A section of the false ceiling at the 40-year-old Electricity Department office in Mapusa collapsed recently. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in
the incident.
The structure was earlier declared unsafe following an assessment carried out by Goa Engineering College, which advised the department to
vacate the premises.
“The department has been taking necessary measures to ensure the safety of staff as well as visitors and is likely to shift out of the building before the monsoon. Two alternative locations have already been identified and formalities are under way,” said a
senior engineer.
Besides pieces of cement from the ceiling and walls falling regularly, large cracks are also visible on the building walls.
When contacted, Executive Engineer Subhash Parsekar said that the slab of the building had not collapsed and that only pieces of cement had fallen from the false ceiling. He said the incident could have likely occurred on Saturday or Sunday night when no one was present in the office.
“We have been trying to vacate the building premises for the last two to three months as we are also concerned about the safety of our staff. We have identified two places for relocation – the BSNL building and another new MMC commercial building. The proposal for the same has been submitted and the process is underway. We are planning to shift before the monsoon,”
said Parsekar.
He said that construction of a new building at the Housing Board site has commenced and is expected to be completed in the next two and a half to three years. The new building will be a ground-plus-three-floor structure with parking provision. Until then, the department will function from alternative premises.
