‘Bahubali’ Knocks Down Unsafe Gachibowli Building
Authorities are expected to assess the safety of other structures in the vicinity before restrictions are lifted and evacuated residents are allowed to return.
Hyderabad: Officials on Sunday deployed ‘Bahubali’, a heavy duty excavator, to demolish a seven-storey structure adjacent to the under-construction building that collapsed in Anjaiahnagar, Gachibowli, on Saturday. The structure, an unauthorised construction according to officials, was in danger of collapsing.
was identified as a safety concern following the collapse.
The demolition also forced the evacuation of residents in a nearby apartment complex. Block B of Sterling Whitefield Apartments, located close to the building being demolished, was cordoned off and residents were asked to vacate the premises as a precaution.
Saturday’s collapse had also damaged C Block of Jagadarsini Residency, located next to the collapsed building. Residents were asked to vacate the apartment amid concerns over its safety. A structural assessment of the partially damaged Jagadarsini Residency is yet to be conducted, leaving residents worried about the condition of their homes.
HYDRAA in coordination with the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) began the demolition on Sunday after using another excavator to clear the debris of the collapsed building to create a path for the ‘Bahubali’ to reach the site. With hardly any gap between the buildings, the operation was taken up with caution to prevent the structure from falling on neighbouring buildings.
However, residences of Block C of Jagadarsini Residency said they were awaiting a detailed structural assessment of their building to ascertain whether it had suffered any damage and whether it was safe for them to return. “We were asked to vacate the building immediately after the incident. We are concerned about the safety of our building and are waiting for officials to conduct a structural assessment,” said Ramakrishna, a resident of Jagadarsini Residency.
Another resident, Madhusudhan Rao, said residents were anxious as the condition of the neighbouring structures remained uncertain. “We understand that the authorities are taking precautionary measures, but we want the structural condition of our building to be assessed at the earliest. Only then will we know whether it is safe to return,” he said.
The area around the collapse site continued to remain cordoned off, with police restricting the movement of residents and others. Heavy machinery and personnel were deployed for debris clearance and demolition activity.
The operation has also brought the spotlight on a cluster of alleged unauthorised constructions in Anjaiahnagar. Officials said buildings had been constructed up to seven storeys on plots of around 50 square yards without the required permissions.
