Hyderabad: Chandralok Complex, one of the city’s oldest commercial buildings, has been identified as structurally weak by the GHMC which has told the building welfare association to repair or demolish the structure forthwith.
The GHMC has sealed the building with over 130 commercial offices operating in multiple blocks and power has been temporarily disconnected. A concrete portion from the 40-year-old six-floor building fell on a passerby, killing him on the spot on Monday night.
Several vulnerable points were identified within the building which needs immediate repairs. The GHMC affixed a public caution notice advising against people going near the structure.
The building will be sealed till rectification is completed. Chandralok Complex on Sarojini Devi Road has developed cracks on all floors. Surrounding this dangerously weak building, are hundreds of other commercial and residential buildings.
The offices include a travel agency, insurance companies, garment and shoe shops, eateries, data entry companies and labs. Apart from those working in the building, lakhs of passersby use this route leading to Patny junction. Even a minor collapse in this building will cause serious damage to vehicles and those working in and around the area and those passing by.
The GHMC engineering officers’ report said: “The front elevation and railing of the said commercial building collapsed due to non-maintenance. The building elevation, railings, projections in other floors, roof projection and parapet walls all around the commercial complex and residential portions in all the blocks of the building are also in a dangerous condition and likely to collapse at any moment causing danger to the inmates of the building/ surrounding buildings and to the public/vehicular traffic passing by the said building.’’
The GHMC has issued a notice to the Chandralok Welfare Association Complex to take up necessary steps to repair/demolish the above mentioned dangerous structures. A letter has been addressed to the Police Department to take action against those responsible for the incident.
Mayor, GHMC staff had narrow escape
Hyderabad Mayor Bonthu Rammohan, GHMC commissioner Dr B. Janardhan Reddy and staff escaped narrowly when two concrete blocks fell next to them at Chandralok Complex on Tuesday morning.
The Mayor and staff were inspecting the structure when the two blocks from the dilapidated elevated portion fell next to them on Sarojini Devi Road.
Mahankali police officials blocked the road on Tuesday for traffic. Traffic from Paradise to SD Road was diverted towards James Street police station.
Late on Monday evening, the elevated portion of the complex fell on a 40-year-old pedestrian, who died on the spot.
The victim, A. Durgaiah, an office boy at a security agency, was walking back to his home when bricks fell on his head, causing instant death. A major tragedy was averted on Monday night, as the concrete blocks first fell on electrical wires in it and then got entangled.
Later when the wires could not take the weight, the concrete mass dropped on the victim and a parked car. If the wires had not been in place, many persons could have been hit, say eyewitness.
