The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is set to serve show-cause notices to the owners and developer of the under-construction structure at L.B. Nagar after three labourers were killed in the cellar collapse on Wednesday.
The notice is being issued as a preliminary step towards cancellation of the building permission and licence of the builder, informed officials under the condition of anonymity.
The building permission was obtained for the proposed structure constituting two basements and ground plus four floors in December last year, after which excavation work began. The labourers were deployed on Wednesday for the work of matting in preparation for building a retaining wall, when the loose soil on the side wall of the cellar suddenly collapsed and buried the workers.
GHMC officials attribute the mishap to lack of supervision and absence of safety measures in the excavated area. Tin sheets and jute bags should have been used to secure the cellar walls before allowing the workers in, a Town Planning officer said.
The incident is said to be a direct consequence of the violations and negligence of the owner/ developer, who failed to comply with the safety measures and conditions outlined in the building permit order.
Besides, the owners/ developer commenced excavation of the cellar without submitting the mandatory commencement notice under Section 440 of the GHMC Act, 1955. A precautionary notice was reportedly issued by the Deputy Commissioner of the Hayatnagar Circle on January 16, with necessary instructions to the permit holders to adhere to all the required safety measures at the site during excavation. Despite the instructions, no safety measures were taken, reported the officials.
Soil testing and soil stabilisation measures are two very important precautionary measures to be taken by the builders before taking up any construction. It is not yet known whether they were done in case of the structure in question.
A letter has been addressed to the Station House Officer of L.B. Nagar Police Station asking him to file a criminal case against the owners/ developer for failing to adhere to the rules and regulations and causing loss of life.
Published – February 06, 2025 01:43 am IST
