Hyderabad: The collapse of the under-construction portico of Film Nagar Culture Club at Jubilee Hills is just the tip of the iceberg because it has brought to light a rising number of illegal constructions in Greater Hyderabad — even after the deadline of October 28, 2015.
The state government has been boasting about stern action on every illegal structure built after the deadline and the GHMC has been warning of demolitions. But the Town Planning officers, who have now been suspended, apparently did not know of the illegal portico or had turned a blind eye as top guns of the ruling TRS, including ministers, and the city’s elite are club members.
Each month, the GHMC receives an average of 20 complaints of fresh illegal constructions on its website. A recent one was on July 22 by Mr Manik Reddy of Balkampet who complained online of an illegal cellar.
“Illegal cellar construction at 7-1-234 Balkampet Main Road behind Hanuman temple. The party started digging the cellar without leaving any setback in their total plot area,” he wrote.
Mr D. Sai Shiva of Bala Nagar had complained: “The builder of Deeksha Residency, plot number 23, 24, 25P, 29, 30 & 31P, S NO 47, changed the plan approved by GHMC and cut the car parking area and is building a new flat on the ground floor.”
Complaints on illegal structures are among the top five issues the GHMC faces. Officials have announced they will take the help of the National Remote Sensing Agency to compare satellite imagery to identify illegal constructions that have come up after the cut-off date.
GHMC commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy said: “Assistant city planners were directed to identify constructions made after the cut-off date (28-10-2015) and take necessary action. They were also directed to file counter affidavits for pending court cases immediately for vacation of status quo / injunction orders. From the cut-off date to July 23, 463 structures have been demolished.”
Structure broke norms
The primary reason for the collapse of the Film Nagar Culture Centre portico was the poor slab support system, a preliminary report by a JNTU civil engineering team has claimed. The report also blamed the structure’s designer and the contractor. The analysis is yet to be submitted to the GHMC and so far, no arrest has been made.
Speaking to DC, Professor N.V. Ramana Rao of JNTU’s civil engineering department said inspection exposed the fault of basic construction pattern and design, which were not done as per the norms accepted by the GHMC Building Act.
“The span between the ground and the slab was too large, the height of the slab being laid was 40 feet above the ground, which needed proper bracing to support the weight. The vertical cropping rods were not built properly, he said.
Prof. Rao said the team was yet to probe quality of materials used. “So far, we have not received the copy of the portico design. The report reveals a construction mistake. We are likely to submit the report to GHMC in the next two days,” he said.
