Hyderabad: Demolition incomplete, owner fears building could collapse

Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation on Saturday pulled down a three-storey dilapidated building near the Nampally railway station on Saturday but there are complaints that it has left a portion standing which could collapse at any time.

GHMC officials said the building was brought down because they found a 30-feet tree growing atop it. This posed a grave risk to the people and infrastructure like a transformer situated behind the building.

An official with the South Central Railway said the building was situated adjacent to the Nampally station. “Before there is a mishap, we intimated the GHMC to take action,” he said.

“Residents and railway officials informed us about this building which could have fallen at any moment. It has not been maintained by the owner, it should have been demolished 10 years back. After inspecting it in the presence of officials, we decided to take it down,” a GHMC official told Deccan Chronicle.

Building owner Shyam Kumar said the remaining portion of the building that was left behind by the GHMC was in a very fragile condition and could collapse at any time, “In order to avoid any risk, I am urging GHMC to demolish the remaining part,” he said.

Asked about this, a GHMC officials said the work was not completed on Saturday because it could lead to a traffic jam. Workers would demolish the remaining part by Tuesday, he said.

Officials said the GHMC had identified 457 risky buildings and had given notice to the residents to evacuate. In a video conference on Monday GHMC commissioner M. Dana Kishore spoke about the death of a child in a building collapse on Sunday and said the corporation would be taking relevant measures to prevent a recurrence.

Officials said the GHMC demolished 485 dilapidated buildings in 2016, 294 in 2017, 402 in 2018 and till date 176 buildings have been demolished this year. The civic body has also seized or repaired 132 buildings and instructed 457 owners to take immediate action for restoration of their property.