DDA conducts inspection, consults experts to ascertain cause of blast in Dwarka society basement

New Delhi, Oct 7 (PTI) A day after a "blast-like" sound was reported from a residential society in Sector 16B, Dwarka, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Tuesday said it has consulted with structural and geo-technical experts to carry out an assessment.

B G Mishra, RWA president of Triveni Heights in Dwarka, said the sound was heard in the apartments' basement around 8 pm on Sunday, causing panic among residents.

"The explosion occurred due to high pressure from either water or gas, though the exact cause is yet to be confirmed," he said.

According to Mishra, the impact of the blast was so strong that the base area rose about two feet, lifting and tossing cars parked nearby.

In a statement, the DDA said it has "consulted with top-tier structural and geo-technical experts to carry out a thorough assessment and provide both urgent remedial measures and a comprehensive long-term solution to address the underlying issue and prevent any recurrence".

"A sudden uplift of the lower basement slab in the non-tower area was observed reportedly due to a combination of accumulated gases and increased groundwater pressure. This resulted in a blast-like sound and water ingress in the basement area," it said.

The DDA further said remedial steps will be taken after an evaluation of the suggestions of the experts.

Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Dwarka and a DDA executive engineer visited the site for inspection.

"It appears that the blast might have been caused by water or gas pressure, but the exact reason is still under investigation," the DDA engineer told RWA members. PTI SSM SHB ANM DIV DIV