Urban News

Incessant rains in the last few weeks has lead to caving in of four old buildings in the twin cities. On Monday night, the collapse of an old building in Poosala Basthi in Saidabad resulted in loss of three lives.

The collapse has once again brought into focus the condition of dilapidated structures doting the twin cities. Old houses crumbling like a pack of cards has become a common occurrence especially during monsoons. The GHMC has failed to take any action to demolish old structures.

Speaking to Express, GHMC officials said within the core city area alone about 350 buildings and another 100 in city outskirts falling in GHMC area, need immediate demolition as the engineer wing has certified these structures might cave in any time.

GHMC carried out a survey of dilapidated buildings in 2006-07  and identified 737 buildings as dangerous and unfit for staying because of  weak structural stability. Town planning wing then slapped notices under Section 456 of the HMC Act to house owners. Of them, 125 owners undertook repairs and 244 were demolished in the last four years. About 27 owners got stay orders from the courts thus stalling demolitions.

The remaining 350 in city and 50 in outskirts could not be demolished  due various reasons. But GHMC officials say the disputes between owners and tenants or reluctance of owners themselves to move out has hampered demolition work since last three years.

Most of the old buildings fall in the Old city areas, Begum Bazar, Sultan Bazar and Secunderabad. A senior official said with the formation of GHMC, it is planning to carry out a fresh survey to identify dilapidated buildings.

In view of heavy rains in the city, mayor Banda Karthika Reddy appealed to all citizens living in old and dilapidated buildings to leave their premises to safer places. She requested citizens to cooperate with GHMC officials in view of public safety.