GHMC razes tilted building, issues notice to owner

Hyderabad: Imdadul Islim, who is in his early 20s, was on the roads of Siddiq Nagar, Gachibowli, from Tuesday night onwards, along with around 50 other residents of a five-storey building that leaned sideways between 7 and 8 pm.

The building, constructed on just 50 square yards, had 12 rooms, with 4 to 6 people sharing each room. Most residents were migrants from Assam, Odisha, and Bihar, working in nearby commercial establishments. On Wednesday afternoon, neighbours came forward and prepared a meal for the displaced residents.

Civic authorities quickly sprang into action and demolished the building on Wednesday. This incident highlighted the negligence of civic authorities, who had failed to address illegal constructions that jeopardised people's lives.

Imdadul Islim recounted, “When the building started leaning, we heard creaking sounds, and the floor tiles cracked. We thought it was an earthquake. We left everything behind and ran out barefoot. Some people even left their stoves on. All our belongings are still inside the building. We have nothing left, and the authorities sealed the premises before starting demolition.”

Iqbal Hussain, another resident, said, “We came to this city to earn a living. Now, all our belongings and money are buried under the debris. Since last evening, we’ve had no food, no place to sleep, and we’re still in the same clothes.”

The cause of the incident was explained by the building’s owner, V. Laxman, and his wife, Swapna. According to them, the immediate neighbour had begun construction on an adjacent open plot. On Tuesday, workers dug 11 feet into the ground with a JCB machine to lay pillars, damaging the foundation of Laxman’s building and causing it to lean.

Laxman, a car driver, said, “Along with my wife and two children, I lived on the first floor. This building was constructed just two years ago. We warned the neighbours against excavation, but they continued. I sold my agricultural land in Miryalaguda to construct this building, hoping to live off the rental income. That night, I filed a complaint at the Madhapur police station against my neighbour.”

The incident caused panic among nearby residents, many of whom stayed awake all night fearing their buildings might also be affected. Alivelu, a neighbour, remarked, “These buildings are constructed without proper permissions for rent. Even a tiny room costs over Rs 10,000, while hostel beds go for Rs 15,000. As the migrant population grew, rents skyrocketed. The lanes here are narrow, and buildings are like skyscrapers built on tiny plots.”

This incident once again exposed the negligence of civic authorities, who remained mute spectators as hundreds of illegal constructions sprung up. Several ongoing constructions in the area consist of five-story buildings on plots smaller than 100 square feet.

Srinivas Reddy, a local kirana shop owner who supplied groceries to the migrants, added, “The tenants of that building are now homeless. Their belongings are under the debris. If they want to rent another place, the deposits will be high, and their earnings are meagre.”

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Serilingampally Zonal Commissioner, responding to the incident, said, “We have lodged cases against the building owner for constructing five floors in violation of rules.”

When asked why so many illegal constructions exist in the area, he replied, “We will serve notices to all illegal constructions in Siddiq Nagar, where there are over 500 buildings. Similar situations exist in areas like Anjayya Nagar, Ayyappa Society, TNGO Colony, Gokul Plots, and Kavuri Hills.”