A major safety scare in Surat's Bhimrad area led to the emergency evacuation of hundreds of residents late Tuesday night. The incident, triggered by the collapse of a compound wall into a deep foundation pit, put four residential towers at immediate risk.
Night of Panic and Precautionary Evacuation
The crisis began around 11:34 PM on Tuesday when the cement concrete retaining wall of a foundation pit at a site developed by the Raj Lakshmi Group suddenly gave way. This failure caused the boundary wall of the adjacent Shiv Residency housing complex to cave in, sending shockwaves through the neighborhood and sparking fears of a larger structural disaster.
Hundreds of terrified residents rushed out of their homes onto the streets, fearing their buildings might collapse. The Surat Fire and Emergency Services (SFES) swiftly responded to the emergency call, securing the area and alerting the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC).
Official Response and License Suspensions
Following a preliminary inquiry on Wednesday, the SMC took strict action against those responsible for the site. The civic body suspended the licenses of architect Suresh Maurya, structural engineer Jalil Shaikh, developer Tushar Ribadiya of Raj Lakshmi Group, and site supervisor Tejas Jasani.
An SMC official stated that the professionals were found negligent in implementing necessary preventive measures. "Prima facie, water accumulation led to soil settlement, resulting in the collapse of the retaining wall," the official explained. The foundation pit was reported to be over 50 feet deep, and the collapse also brought down a parking shed, though some vehicles were safely moved.
Widespread Impact and Resident Displacement
Subsequent inspections by SMC teams confirmed that four towers within Shiv Residency were structurally compromised and at risk. As a direct precautionary measure, authorities ordered the evacuation of all 192 apartments across these four buildings.
Residents were permitted to briefly re-enter their flats on Wednesday to collect essential belongings before fully vacating the premises. All affected families have now shifted to alternative accommodations arranged by the authorities.
The incident has raised serious questions about construction safety protocols and oversight in rapidly developing urban areas. The SMC's decisive action highlights the gravity of the negligence observed at the Bhimrad site.
