After Gachibowli building collapse, civic officials face questions over illegal construction

The collapse of an illegal seven-storeyed building in Gachibowli that killed two workers triggered evacuations of neighbouring structures, debris clearance and criticism of civic authorities. Residents and RWAs questioned how such construction was allowed despite alleged lapses in monitoring

Hyderabad: A day after an illegally constructed seven storeyed building claimed two lives at Anjaiah Nagar in Gachibowli, it was time for debris removal and damage control for the civic authorities on Sunday. Heavy machinery which was rushed into the site on Saturday soon after the building came crumbling down, remained engaged in clearing debris till this afternoon.

Apart from the police, officials from the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) and the Hydraa also took the action of evicting those residing in two buildings flanking the ill-fated structure, and take steps for demolition.

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Assessments by officials revealed the building as it collapsed yesterday, caused damages to neighbouring structures which were not deemed safe in the given circumstances.

Hundreds of bachelors staying in the hostel and families in an apartment were seen vacating the buildings and shifting their belongings amid uncertainty on where to move on. Several youngsters who were sharing rooms in the adjoining hostel lamented at their abrupt eviction and complained they have no friend or relative in the city to shift at such short notice. Similar was the plight of the families.

Meanwhile, questions on the functioning of the civic authorities came to fore with the incident. The CMC Commissioner issued orders suspending an official of the town planning department while the police arrested Mohammed Sajid, the builder.

However, these actions did not assuage the resident welfare associations and the citizens who expressed ire at the apathy of the civic body officials in monitoring the construction of illegal structures in the city. “Suspended officials will be taken back after few days and the arrested one will be out in few days, but what about the two innocent workers who lost their lives due to the callousness of the officials and the greed of the builder,” said a RWA office bearer.

The question remained as to how one was allowed to raise a seven storeyed building along with a pent house on a mere 48 square yard plot. The role of town planning and by extension the civic body, came for criticism for their apathy and lack of monitoring. Another RWA representative said, “were these officials not supposed to check as to what is happening on the ground?”

The clarification that a notice was served to the builder also came for criticism with several lambasting the officials for not acting till two workers died.