Police, GHMC to Act Against Illegal Basement Use
The enforcement will focus particularly on densely populated commercial areas, such as Madina Centre, Begum Bazaar, Goshamahal, Abids, Ameerpet, Panjagutta, and Secunderabad.
Hyderabad: Jolted by the Saturday fire at Nampally that left several people charred to death, the Hyderabad police and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) have decided to crack down on illegal cellars from Tuesday.
The enforcement will focus particularly on densely populated commercial areas, such as Madina Centre, Begum Bazaar, Goshamahal, Abids, Ameerpet, Panjagutta, and Secunderabad.
According to officials, the misuse of basements for commercial activities is rampant in the highly congested Begum Bazaar, where almost every commercial complex is found operating full-fledged businesses in its basement.
Basements are strictly meant for parking, but the building owners let them out for commercial purposes. Vehicles are parked on the road, disrupting traffic and impairing the movement of fire tenders in case of an emergency.
Deviation from the sanctioned plan impedes the movement of fire tenders and blocks rescue efforts during fire accidents, putting the lives of those trapped inside at risk.
“In the event of a fire or any other emergency, occupants would have little to no chance of escaping. In some instances, shops have even been set up on staircases, further heightening the risk.”