Bengaluru: In Johnson Market, faulty wall, 2 lives lost; when will we learn?

Bengaluru: “Do not stand here. It’s not a strong wall and could collapse on you.” This was the large-hearted 10-year-old Zaman Raza's last words to the 45-year-old auto driver Abdul Kareem before the wall in Johnson Market came crumbling down on both of them on Sunday, killing Abdul on the spot. On Monday, Zaman died from his injuries.

Zaman, son of Abbas, a cab driver, was heading to the mosque for evening prayers when the heavens opened up, an eyewitness told Deccan Chronicle. "He ran to take shelter in a shop and was waiting for the rain to stop when he spotted an auto driver pulling up. As the passengers got off, the auto driver stayed on to take shelter beneath the wall. Braving the rain, Zaman ran to him and asked him to move on as everyone felt the wall could collapse anytime. And as fate would have it, even before he finished his sentence, the wall collapsed on both of them,” bystander Ali said.

Zaman Raza

Johnson Market, Russell Market's much shabbier cousin is crying out for a makeover. If nothing, the needless death of this ten year old boy should get BBMP and the merchants of this utterly filthy - and dangerous - marketplace to undertake a complete renovation and rebuild.

How many more Zaman Raza's must we lose before they wake up to the perils of running businesses from dilapidated old buildings that can no longer withstand a storm?

7-feet-tall with no foundation
What was a 7-foot wall doing on the footpath in Johnson Market? It had no foundation at all and was built on the footpath, said former corporator A. Salam, whose brother-in-law Abdul died in the incident. "Those who erected it should have at least laid a foundation to make it stable," he says and blames the BBMP officials for their " negligence," in not reinforcing it or bringing it down.