Pathani Samanta Planetarium boundary wall collapses in Bhubaneswar

A portion of the boundary wall of the Pathani Samanta Planetarium, located at Acharya Vihar in the heart of Bhubaneswar, collapsed on Sunday, creating panic in the busy area. The incident occurred close to a bus stop where several passengers were waiting, but fortunately, no one sustained injuries.

Eyewitnesses said the wall caved in suddenly, causing chaos as people rushed away from the site. Although there was no human casualty, the collapse caused damage to private property.

The debris fell on vehicles parked nearby, leaving at least four two-wheelers, including bikes and scooters, damaged. Owners of the vehicles expressed anger and disappointment over the lack of proper maintenance that led to the mishap.

“I had come to the Planetarium with my family. I had parked my two-wheeler after getting the tickets. My HF DELUXE bike OD17X9130 has been damaged in the wall collapse. My demand is that they should give me necessary compensation,” alleged a visitor.

Local residents also voiced their dissatisfaction, pointing out that poor infrastructure upkeep in such a high-traffic area could have resulted in a major tragedy. Many demanded immediate action from the concerned authorities to repair the wall and ensure stronger safety measures around the planetarium premises.

Likewise, a local said, “The wall had been on the verge of collapse since last two years. Today, it caved in all of a sudden. Four vehicles have been damaged. The wall is very old and was on the verge of collapse since long. Luckily, no one has been injured. There were 8-10 people at the bus stand, they had to run helter-skelter. Fortunately, no one is injured, but the bikes have been damaged.”

Officials are yet to release a detailed statement regarding the cause of the collapse, but engineers are expected to inspect the site soon. Meanwhile, commuters and residents have urged the city administration to carry out safety audits of other old structures in the capital to prevent similar accidents in the future.