Hyderabad: The GHMC has issued red notices to owners of all dilapidated buildings. The corporation will demolish all structures that have been tagged unsafe if the owners do not do so.
The decision was taken following the recent death of a person after a dilapidated commercial establishment that was listed for demolition collapsed. The red notices are for the inmates to vacate the premises immediately. GHMC will also move the courts to secure vacation of stays secured by the owners.
Speaking to this newspaper, GHMC commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy said, “We recently inspected the Old City area where an owner had leased out a shop to a tenant 20 years ago. As cracks have developed and the roof is leaking, the owner wants to demolish the structure, however, the tenant is refusing to vacate.”
He also said, “GHMC has identified 200 such cases where the tenant has got a stay from the court against the owner. Another issue is that the owners themselves are unwilling to move out. When we counsel them, they promise to repair and renovate the buildings but don’t do so and continue to live in the old structures which can collapse anytime. Then there are owners who approach courts for stay orders against the GHMC’s notice.”
He added, “The inmates are not worried about their lives and continue to stay in these houses. Whenever a mishap occurs, the blame is on GHMC, while it is the people who have to take action.”
Assistant city planners have been directed to conduct another survey with engineering officers and identify the buildings to be demolished. As per records, out of the 1,997 dilapidated buildings identified, 752 have been demolished. Also, 96 owners have renovated the buildings and action is pending on 1,149 buildings.
