Warangal: Rains around, dilapidated structures pose threat

Warangal: With the Greater Warangal civic body turning a blind eye, a whopping 900 odd structures aged above 100 years and declared unfit for habitation continue to exist in the city. The city already drenched in downpour for the last few days and more thundershowers forecast for the next three days, the likelihood of these structures crumbling at any time is on the cards.

According to the survey conducted by the Engineering and Town Planning wing of the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC), there are 900-odd buildings unfit for occupancy. The authorities then served notices to the landlords to vacate the buildings as they were unsafe for habitation. It's alleged that some of the landlords got a leeway with the authorities exempting them with a few modifications to their dilapidated structures.

The latest data of the GWMC suggests that 411 of the 902 buildings are safe and it had demolished 67 buildings. While 14 buildings were got repaired, the others have been issued notices to vacate the buildings.

"Public safety is paramount. The officials need to identify the structures unsafe for the occupancy in the tri-cities including the 42 merged villages and carry out the demolition at the earliest," Mayor Gunda Prakash Reddy, who recently reviewed the situation, strictly instructed the officials.

On the hand, a senior official of the civic body said that they have been under pressure due to staff crunch. 'Moreover, it's not that easy to raze the old buildings with the occupants are unwilling to vacate. In addition to his, we have to face political pressures.'

Forum for Better Warangal President Pulluru Sudhakar told The Hans India: "It is mandatory for the civic body to maintain a register of the dilapidated structures and alert the occupants from time to time after checking the structural compliance of a building. Although the GWMC has power to demolish those buildings unsafe for living, its hands are fastened under political pressure."