In realty, safety comes last

Hyderabad: Violations of rules by builders such as not putting up a retaining wall during excavation and rock blasting till late hours in the western parts of the city go unchecked by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. Around 650 multi-storey constructions have been approved in the IT zone, at Nanak-ramguda, Raidurgam and Gachibowli. The GHMC cites shortage of staff for its failure to check violations during construction, which disturb the neighbourhood and are also dangerous.

For example, deep excavations without constructing a retaining wall is dangerous as it affects adjacent buildings. Teja Sai Prasad, who lives in Pride Residency in Nanakramguda, points out that though the construction of a multi-storey gated community by SVL Cons-truction is yet to begin, “the builders have marked their columns for excavation almost touching the neighbouring building, leaving almost no setback. Only a few metres separate the two plots.

“This is dangerous as there is no retaining wall. If the excavation is  near an adjacent structure, the neighbouring building may collapse causing damage to life and property of both parties,” he said. Cellar collapses are  due to digging deep vertically, which makes the soil unstable. This is perilous for the workmen there as the soil may collapse into itself. This also disturbs the foundation of the neighbouring buildings. Plaints regarding rock blasting come in from areas like Kattamaisamma Basti, Kaisar Nagar, Devender Nagar, Bathukamma Banda, and Pochamma Basthi. One Madhusudhan Rao of Quthbullapur has said that his house has developed cracks.