Patancheru ZPHS demolition sparks controversy over NHAI’s role

Five days after the demolition of a dilapidated Zilla Parishad High School building in Patancheru, officials claimed the collapse was accidental during NHAI’s road widening works. Their delayed statement has drawn criticism, with Telangana Praja Sangala JAC Chairman Y Ashok Kumar demanding a panchnama report.

Sangareddy: Five days after the dilapidated building of Zilla Parishad High School (ZPHS), Patancheru was demolished, the Tahsildar and MPDO of Patancheru declared that the demolition work was carried out by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) as part of the road widening works in the area.

The officials claimed that the dilapidated school building, which is located 10 metres away from the boundary wall of the school, collapsed accidentally while the NHAI was removing the boundary wall. While it was demolished on the night of April 7, the officials came up with a statement only on Saturday.

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Many were left surprised as the statement from the officials, who remained silent, came five days after the structure was removed.

Telangana Praja Sangala JAC Chairman Y Ashok Kumar demanded the officials present the panchnama report if the officials really carried out a survey on accidental collapse of the building.

“Had the NHAI officials prepared the alignment map before taking up the demolition, ” he questioned.

Ashok Kumar asked why the officials remained unresponsive when Medak MP M Raghunandan Rao called them when the demolition work was in progress. He said that any kind of demolition will be considered as contempt of court since a case is still pending in the Supreme Court.