A pedestrian died after a chunk of concrete fell on him from the terrace of a decrepit building near Posta Market on Sunday.

The collapse, police suspect, was caused by the repairs underway in the three-storeyed structure.

Sanjay Mohota, a tenant of the building who allegedly engaged masons, has been arrested on the charge of causing death by negligence.

The victim, Murari Sharma, 42, was a carpenter and a resident of the Jorabagan area.

Around Sunday noon Sharma was walking down Halwasiya Road, a narrow lane off Vivekanda Road near the Posta Market, when the concrete chunk fell on him from a height of around 25ft.

Police said the chunk hit Sharma on the waist and the legs. He was taken to Shree Vishuddhananda Saraswati Marwari Hospital on Amhest Street and then shifted to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, where he died.

A resident said about 200 families live in the building. "The monthly rents vary between Rs 400 and Rs 2,500," he said.

The owner of the building lives in an apartment on Chowringhee Road.

An engineer of the building department of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation said one should approach a licensed building surveyor (LBS) if the intended repair work calls for technical expertise.

"If the work requires technical expertise, one should seek the help of an LBS before hiring a mason," the engineer said.