Thrissur: A document verification has brought to light that the building which collapsed during the recent heavy rains in Thrissur had been issued a structural stability certificate just six months ago, despite having been in a dangerously dilapidated condition for years.

The certificate was issued by the Civil Engineering Department of the Government Engineering College, Thrissur, declaring the building structurally stable. It is also learned that several owners of buildings already identified by the Thrissur Corporation as “in immediate need of demolition” have also obtained similar certificates, apparently to evade legal action.

The Corporation had earlier entrusted the Civil Engineering Department of the college to assess the structural safety of such buildings using scientific methods and modern equipment.

The building in question, located between Kuruppam Road and Marar Road on the Swaraj Round, partially collapsed during the recent spell of heavy rains. Following the incident, the Tahsildar submitted a report to the District Collector, warning that the remaining portion of the already-listed dangerous structure was also at risk of collapse. The report recommended that if the owners failed to demolish the building voluntarily, it should be dismantled under provisions of the Disaster Management Act.

Acting on the Collector’s directive, the Thrissur Corporation has begun demolition of the remaining structure.

However, the question as to how did such a dangerous building manage to obtain a structural stability certificate still remains unanswered. The certificate in question contains a declaration by the issuing officer stating that the site had been inspected and the structure was found to be stable.

While the Public Works Department and engineers from the Corporation are also authorised to issue structural stability certificates, they usually decline such approvals for visibly unsafe or crumbling structures. These certificates, valid for one year, are often renewed and used by building owners to secure court orders preventing demolition.