Old rickety buildings a looming threat in hyderabad city

Hyderabad: The spectre of a wall collapse like the one in Kondhwa area in Pune, in which 15 people died, should be a reminder to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), but the civic body is yet to go whole hog. The officials say that they are finding it difficult to undertake demolitions in Secunderabad and Begum Bazaar areas and that there are a lot of old buildings that include residential as well as business establishments.

With the Meteorological Department predicting heavy rainfall in the next few days, the chances of old structures crashing looms. According to statistics available with the town planning wing of GHMC, some 140 old buildings have been demolished, and another 110 old buildings were repaired. There are around 250 to 300 old buildings pending in list to be demolished.

The town planning wing claims to have demolished 199 old dilapidated buildings and 15 old buildings vacated and sealed in 2017 (May to December). 182 dilapidated buildings demolished and around 26 old buildings are vacated and sealed in 2018 (January to December) and in this year, they claimed to have demolished 140 dilapidated buildings and 110 buildings have been vacated, repaired and sealed till now. The demolition of dilapidated structures will continue till all the identified old buildings are demolished or repaired and sealed, the officials said.

Speaking to the Hans India, S Devender Reddy, the chief city planner at GHMC Town Planning Wing said, "We have started the old buildings demolition before monsoon in the city, and so far, demolished around 140 dilapidated old buildings in city. We are finding it difficult to demolish in Secunderabad and Begum Bazaar areas. There are a lot of old buildings that include residential as well as business establishments," he said. The owners of business establishments are not vacating the building citing the livelihood.

Past incidents

1. In 2016, two people were reportedly killed and five injured after a building collapsed in Chilkalguda in Secunderabad. The building said to be in dilapidated condition
2. Some 12 people were killed and 14 injured after an 80-year-old building collapsed in Secunderabad in 2013
3. Three persons died and two others sustained injuries after a portion of a building collapsed in the busy Monda Market in Secunderabad in 2012
4. One person was killed and another injured after a portion of an old building, located in Chandanagar's Huda colony, collapsed in 2018.