HYDERABAD: How long can one treat collapse of under-construction or dilapidated buildings as one-off incidents, without taking corrective measures?
The figures available with the National Crime Records Bureau (2015) reveal that over 1,800 people have died across the country in 2014 due to structural collapses. Closer home, in Telangana alone, there were 26 deaths and 24 instances of structural collapse, while Uttar Pradesh led the chart that year with 361 instances and 348 deaths.
In Hyderabad on December 9, 11 people lost their lives after a four-storey building collapsed. The structure had an approval only for only one floor.
Construction laws in the state are governed under the Municipal Administration and Urban Development’s (MAUDs), Andhra Pradesh Building Rules 2012. MAUD, the Urban Development Authority, the Urban Local Body, the executive authority of the Gram Panchayat and special units created for the purpose of sanctioning and monitoring buildings and development activities are the responsible parties, under this law.
“There are laws but there is no strict implementation,” said Adithya Gowra, vice-president Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India adding that the construction sector in the Middle East and North Africa region, for instance, have clear definition of the role a consultant. All designs and changes are approved by them even during the construction. Even the materials used for construction needs to be approved from the field consultant.
“To save a few pennies, the owners do not employ structural engineers or consultants,” said Adithya. The laws do not make the hiring of structural consultants mandatory either. There are many laws under the Ministry of Skill Development and Construction Council, they want every construction activity to be carried out under the National Occupation Standards system but no one is aware nor has it been able to penetrate the system, she added.