Goemkapronn desk
VASCO: In a shocking incident, several portions of the concrete slab came crashing down from the ceiling of the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) Port Users complex building on Sunday night.
According to sources, a security guard narrowly escaped being fatally injured.
“This is not anything new, and many similar incidents have happened in the past. The building houses several offices and a canteen where many customs officials go to have their tea. This incident could have risked their lives as well, but fortunately, it occurred on Sunday night, and there were no injuries or loss of life,” said the source.
The source added that even the Customs officials have long been voicing concerns about the state of the building.
“The building is in a dying state, but it belongs to the MPA, and they must act immediately to address the maintenance issues. The building is in a very dilapidated state and poses a risk to all the offices and staff housed here. The lackadaisical attitude of the MPA could cause a major disaster someday, especially since many pieces of slab have fallen in the past as well. A piece of concrete once fell on the car of someone with an office inside, damaging the brand-new vehicle.” said the source.
“The offices in the building have been there since around the year 2000, with dedicated offices for Custom House agents allocated since 2005. The MPA must immediately act and take care of the maintenance before a tragedy strikes. The current condition of the building puts all the stakeholders operating here at risk. We only hope that no major tragedy occurs in the future,” added the source.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety and maintenance of the building, urging the MPA to take swift action to prevent any potential disasters.
