Two workers killed as under-construction building collapses in Hyderabad

Two workers were killed and two other people injured after a seven-storey under-construction building collapsed in Hyderabad on Saturday.

Rescue teams recovered the bodies while clearing debris at the site in Anjayya Nagar, Gachibowli. A fire department official said a victim-location system had been used to trace them.

Debris from the collapsed structure fell onto adjoining apartment buildings, damaging several flats and injuring two people. One of them was admitted to hospital, while some residents were forced to vacate their homes because of the damage.

Residents said they heard a loud noise in the afternoon before discovering that the building had collapsed.

Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency Commissioner A V Ranganath visited the site and confirmed that the two people killed were construction workers.

According to Ranganath, the building comprised seven storeys and a penthouse and was being constructed on a plot measuring around 50 to 60 square yards.

He said the structure and several other buildings in the area had allegedly been constructed close to a drain and without the mandatory setbacks, among other suspected violations.

Ranganath said HYDRAA would coordinate with the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation to demolish structures found to have been built in breach of construction rules. He also urged residents of such buildings to vacate them because of the potential risk.

Officials had received information that the owner of the collapsed building was involved in developing similar structures in violation of regulations, he said. These reportedly included buildings being operated as commercial hostels for information technology employees and other occupants.

HYDRAA would examine the owner’s role and work with the municipal corporation to identify and act against such properties, Ranganath added.

Cyberabad Municipal Corporation Commissioner G Srijana, who also inspected the site, said authorities had seized the building four months ago. Construction allegedly resumed on Friday, a day before the collapse.

The building collapsed before officials could initiate further action, she said, adding that measures would be taken against other structures violating construction regulations.

With PTI inputs