Two dead as under‑construction building collapses in Madhapur

Two workers were killed and several injured when a seven-storey under-construction building collapsed at Anjaiah Nagar, Madhapur, Hyderabad. The structure, built illegally on a nala drain box, crumbled around 1 pm on Saturday.

Hyderabad: Two persons were killed and several others injured when a multi-storeyed building under construction collapsed at Anjaiah Nagar in Madhapur on Saturday.

The seven-storeyed structure was built in complete violation of norms on a 50 square yard site and that too on a nala drain box, came down crumbling in parts around 1 pm. The victims, identified as Mahtab and Umesh from Madhya Pradesh, were reportedly engaged in laying tiles at the construction site.

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The debris from the collapsing building fell onto neighbouring structures injuring several others who were shifted to hospital for treatment.

Soon after the incident, teams of the local police, HYDRAA, Fire Department and Cyberabad Municipal Corporation rushed to the spot. Senior officials supervised the rescue operation as personnel searched the debris for persons who might have been trapped.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Fire Department and other rescue agencies were pressed into service. Using high-end rescue equipment, personnel entered the collapsed structure and continued the search for survivors.

According to information available, a builder named Sajid was constructing similar illegal buildings on small patches of lands and officials said action would be initiated against the builder.

Meanwhile, the commissioner, Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) G Srijana and HYDRAA Commissioner, AV Ranganath reached the spot and reviewed the rescue operations.

Later, speaking to media persons, Ranganath said two bodies were retrieved from the debris of the collapsed apartment and rescue operations were continuing to check the debris. “An inspection will be carried out with the coordination of CMC officials on these constructions and action will be initiated against the owners, if found violations,” he said.

Nearby residents alleged the building was constructed illegally despite several complaints to municipal authorities. “We had complained to the local authorities about the construction, but no action was taken,” said Rajesh, a resident.

Another resident, Sanjay Kumar, said the consequences could have been far worse had the collapse occurred in the evening. “Children usually play around the building and, being a Saturday, there could have been many more children in the area,” he said. Residents questioned how such a large structure was allowed to come up on a small plot on the nala.

Residents of the neighbouring apartment, Jayadarshini Residency, said they heard a huge sound and initially assumed it to be an earthquake. Residents of surrounding dwellings rushed out on to the streets in panic.

Meanwhile, the police registered a case against the owner and contractor under various sections of BNS Act and making efforts to apprehend them.