Tilting five-storey building in Hyderabad’s Madhapur demolished amid safety concerns

A five-storey building in Siddiq Nagar of Madhapur was demolished on Wednesday by officials from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA). The structure, which had tilted precariously on Tuesday night, was deemed unsafe for occupancy and for the neighbouring structures.

The building, constructed three years ago on a 50-square-yard plot, had four completed floors and a penthouse. Adjacent to it, construction work was underway on a 200-square-yard plot, which involved deep excavation for its pillars. “The digging near the compound wall, about five to six feet below ground may have compromised the building’s foundation, causing it to tilt,” said the Zonal Commissioner of Serilingampally Zone.

Authorities evacuated 35 to 40 residents from the building on Tuesday night. This included the families occupying the first two floors and students housed in a hostel on the upper three floors. “Safety was our top priority. The demolition was carefully executed to prevent the tilted structure from collapsing onto adjacent buildings. Residents of nearby buildings were also evacuated as a precautionary measure,” said HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath. The GHMC has filed police complaints against the owners of both the under-construction building and the demolished structure for alleged violations of construction norms.

Siddiq Nagar is primarily known for its paying guest and hostel accommodations, catering to professionals working in the city’s IT corridor. In this area, the monthly rent for a 1BHK apartment is approximately ₹25,000.

“Due to fears over the tilted building, 10 of our guests decided to leave the hostel and return to their homes,” said Konda Reddy, manager of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Deluxe Boys Hostel, located next to the demolished structure. He added that the situation worsened on Wednesday morning when officials cut off electricity in the area. “We had to arrange for a water tanker from outside, but since we are not allowed to leave the building and no one is permitted to enter the locality because of the demolition, it has created difficulties,” he explained.

Published - November 20, 2024 07:22 pm IST