Council of architecture to decide fate of Suganya

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Council of Architecture will decide the fate of B Suganya, an
architect who has claimed to have designed the 11-storey building that
collapsed killing more 43 persons and injuring several others.

C R Raju, the chairman of Indian Institute of Architecture, Tamil Nadu
chapter, told Express that they have referred the issue to Council of
Architecture and are awaiting its response to the issue.

Interestingly, it is alleged that Suganya would have signed as a
benami for someone else. All that Chennai Metropolitan Development
Authority requires is two signatures one from the structural engineer
and another from the architect, says former office-bearer of Indian
Institute of Architecture.

“May be she is not the real author as it looks she is a fresher. But
then she can’t lend her name to a project and help the person who
designed the building go scot free,” said former chairman of Indian
Institute of Architecture, Tamil Nadu chapter Manimaran.

Interestingly, this also brings to light on the need to fix the
responsibility on who is the structural engineer or architecture of
the body.

Interestingly, Chennai Metropolitan Development authority hardly has
any expertise in either structural design or architecture. “They are
planners and lack technical expertise,” he says.

Manimaran says that the need of the hour is to have a cell with
technical expertise who can evaluate the structural; design as well as
the architectural design of the building.

Interestingly, after the collapse of the building police had arrested
Vijay Bargotra. Police claimed he was the architect of the building.
However, Council of Architecture has stated that Vijay Bargotra is not
an architect. Interestingly, as per CMDA’s approved plan S Nagesh was
the structural engineer.

With no one to monitor structural engineer or architect of the
building under construction and where benamis sign the CMDA plan,
questions arise over the safety of buildings in Chennai.

Meanwhile, CREDAI has volunteered to form a special task force
exclusively to assist the government or agencies concerned in the
investigation of the incident to expedite the conclusion on the cause
of the incident. The task force includes academicians from reputed
institutions, experts from related fields and professional engineers.
The task force will analyze, and evaluate the reasons for the mishap
and suggest quality and safety guidelines for all members.
** Suganya has filed for anticipatory bail in Madras High Court after police filed FIR.