Roof of relief camp for migrant workers crashes down in Bengaluru

Around 250 people were accommodated in the shelter, including infants waiting for the Shramik Special trains to their native towns in different North Indian states.

As heavy winds and rains lashed Bengaluru Friday evening, the roof of a relief camp set up for migrant workers from Odisha, Assam, and West Bengal came crashing down. No injuries have been reported.

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According to migrant workers there, the building structure began shaking heavily at around 5.40 pm as gusty winds started to blow.

An hour later, BBMP officials confirmed that the migrants were shifted to a safer place even as rains continued in the city. “The same location had three different halls where the accommodation for migrants was arranged. While the other two halls remained unaffected, they were shifted to that area,” D N Rajashekara Murthy Assistant Engineer, BBMP Ward 93 (Vasanth Nagar) said.

“We started rushing out of the building as soon as possible as the entire roof structure made of some aluminium-like material came crashing down,” Anil Sahoo, a migrant labourer who hails from Odisha told Indianexpress.com.

He added that around 250 people were accommodated in the shelter, including infants waiting for the Shramik Special trains to their native towns in different North Indian states.

An hour later, BBMP officials confirmed that the migrants were shifted to a safer place even as rains continued in the city. “The same location had three different halls where the accommodation for migrants was arranged. While the other two halls remained unaffected, they were shifted to that area,” D N Rajashekara Murthy Assistant Engineer, BBMP Ward 93 (Vasanth Nagar) said.

When contacted, a police officer from Sadashivanagar police station said, “We have sent over 10 police personnel to help the migrants there at the moment. No injuries have been reported so far.”

Meanwhile, BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar said that the concerned Joint Commissioner in the area was intimated of the event. “Swift action will be taken to ensure the safety of migrants staying there,” he said.

At the same time, officials at Karmika Sahayavani (Labour Helpline) confirmed in a tweet that the migrants will be moved to a different location.