Noida: A two-storey house came crashing down onto a road in Greater Noida’s Tilpata village on Thursday after excavation work for a drain allegedly weakened the ground beside the structure. The building was vacant at the time. A potentially major tragedy was averted as no pedestrians or vehicles were passing by.The collapse took place on Sakipur Road. According to officials, the house, owned by Omveer, gave way shortly after an earthmover excavated soil from the adjoining drain under construction. The impact also brought down an electricity pole and overhead power lines.
The impact also brought down an electricity pole and overhead power lines
Residents said a deafening sound sent people rushing out of their homes. CCTV cameras installed nearby captured the collapse, with the building crumbling within seconds and spilling debris across the road. The footage has since been circulated widely on social media.Officials said Omveer and his family had already shifted to another house, leaving the structure unoccupied. Their absence, coupled with the deserted stretch at the time of the collapse, prevented any casualties.Greater Noida Authority officials claimed that the building had been illegally constructed over the retaining wall of a drain. They said the owner had been asked earlier to vacate and remove the structure before work on the new drain began.“The building stood over the drain and had been constructed without authorisation. The owner had already been asked to clear the structure before excavation started, which is why the house was vacant,” an Authority official said.Assistant commissioner of police Rajeev Kumar and Surajpur station house officer Umesh Naithani reached the site with police teams soon after the incident. Police said the contractor carrying out the excavation and the property owner reached a mutual settlement following the collapse. As neither side submitted a formal complaint, no police case was registered.
