Rourkela: A newly-constructed shed at Rourkela railway station collapsed under the impact of torrential rainfall that struck the steel city on Monday morning.
According to sources, around 9 am, the structure near the station’s main entrance near Platform No. 1 gave way under heavy rainfall, trapping and damaging a car and a tempo parked underneath. Commuters and bystanders scrambled to safety as the frame came crashing down; fortunately, no immediate injuries were reported.
Reportedly built at a cost of approximately ₹1 crore over past 6 months, the shed was designed to shelter passengers and vehicles from extreme weather. However, its sudden collapse has raised sharp concerns regarding construction quality, with local residents noting that warnings about structural defects had been voiced prior to the incident.
The intense downpour, which began around 7:30 am, severely affected Platform No. 5 and the adjacent station parking grounds, where floodwaters submerged parked two-wheelers, three-wheelers and cars. Similar waterlogging was reported in front of the second entrance, with bikes and auto-rickshaws left partially underwater.
The impact was equally severe in surrounding low-lying areas and slum settlements near the tracks. Within two to three hours of continuous downpour, floodwaters reached chest height in several pockets, forcing residents out of their homes to stand along roadways for hours. Discontent brewed among affected families, who cited clogged drainage systems and alleged administrative neglect by both the Rourkela Municipal Corporation and railway authorities. “Our food rations, rice, clothing, and household items have all been washed away or soaked. School uniforms, books, and shoes for our children were completely destroyed, leaving them unable to go to school,” shared a distressed local resident.
The Regional Meteorological Centre has issued a yellow warning for several districts across Odisha, forecasting heavy rainfall of 7 cm to 11 cm, over the next few days, under the influence of an active southwest monsoon.