GHMC swings into action, razes 89 rickety structures

Hyderabad: As many as 89 buildings, identified as dilapidated, have been demolished by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) staff as part of the monsoon preparedness.

Another 146 structures, according to the corporation, have either been repaired, vacated, or seized to date. The buildings are among the 566 dilapidated structures identified as part of the pre-monsoon survey for coercive action this year. The majority of them are in the Charminar zone. As rain poses a threat to old and dilapidated structures, the corporation assured that it would continue to identify and act on dilapidated structures during the monsoon.

The civic body conducted a survey for identification of the dilapidated structures and took all precautionary steps, such as getting verified for structural stability, issuing notices, and following-up action for the demolition of structures, counselling for vacation, seizing the building, or guiding them to get it repaired. The identified structures in six GHMC zones were 566, including 75 (in LB Nagar), 154 (Charminar), 123 (Khairatabad), 132 (Secunderabad), 33 (Serilingampally), and 49 (Kukatpally). Instructions were issued for cautioning and vacating people living beneath undulating or sloppy terrain or along the old and dilapidated compound walls.

On Monday, a review meeting was held by the Chief City Planner with all DCPs and ACPs of Circle 30, and instructions were issued to take immediate action on a war-footing basis. They were directed to take measures to counsel the inmates to vacate the premises and seize the structures, restricting further movement in and around them. Additionally, the action on cellar excavations was also reviewed and instructions issued to ensure that the retaining walls under construction shall be instructed to be completed immediately and also to ensure that no new excavations are carried out as per the instructions issued till the end of the monsoon. It was directed to barricade the excavated portions to avoid any incidents.