Nagpur: A portion of the veranda of the 135-year-old Old High Court building, a protected heritage monument, collapsed on Monday afternoon after wooden scaffolding gave way. The incident occurred even as the historic structure is undergoing restoration worth Rs16.92 crore. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The state Public Works Department (PWD), which is executing the project, clarified that no restoration work was being carried out on the affected portion when the incident occurred.
The restoration work commenced on Sept 22 this year, with a six-month completion deadline. During the Covid-19 period, a porch of the building had collapsed, following which ASI undertook restoration of the damaged portion. This is not the first structural failure reported at the historic premises.
Sources said the incident would necessitate a fresh structural assessment, including detailed inspections and sampling, to identify weaknesses in the ageing structure. Soon after the collapse, senior PWD officials, including Prashant Shankarpure and Prashant Pustode, rushed to the site to assess the damage and examine the circumstances leading to the incident. However, Monday’s collapse has raised fresh concerns over the structural condition of the historic building and the feasibility of meeting the stipulated timeline. Depending on the findings, additional restoration measures may be required, potentially expanding the project’s scope and delaying completion. Monday’s incident has once again highlighted the challenges involved in preserving the ageing monument.
“The wooden scaffolding erected earlier by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) suddenly gave way, resulting in the collapse of a portion of the veranda. There were no warning signs before the incident.