By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Taking no chances ahead of the monsoon, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is undertaking a massive drive to demolish old and dilapidated structures in the city. On Monday alone when the demolition drive started, about 12 old structures were pulled down. This year the civic body has identified as many as 293 structures to be in dilapidated condition in Greater Hyderabad limits which may collapse any time during heavy rains. These were apart from the already existing 484 dilapidated structures identified last year taking the total to 777. GHMC has proposed to demolish them by slapping notices on the owners of those buildings to vacate them or face eviction. The civic body has launched a drive to demolish the dilapidated buildings in all the 30 GHMC circles to avoid any incidents during rainy season. The freshly identified old structures include Mehidipatnam (63), Karwan (45) Goshamahal (45), Begumpet (40), Falaknuma (38) and Khairatabad (27) circles. GHMC is also obtaining opinion on structural safety from engineering department and demolishing the vulnerable buildings on priority, GHMC Chief City Planner S Devender Reddy told Express. GHMC will also counsel the inmates to vacate the dilapidated structure and barricade buildings in some cases. If people living in structurally-weak buildings refuse to vacate them, they would seal the buildings. Reddy said in 2016 485 structures were demolished, 294 in 2017 and 402 in 2018. Flex banners to be removed GHMC has directed advertisement agencies to remove all flex banners on hoardings by June 15, and ensure no new ones are put up until August 15, as the rains and heavy winds could damage the banners. Also, as many as 300 emergency teams have been formed as part of the GHMC’s monsoon preparedness. Around 195 water-stagnation points in the city have been identified, and officials have been directed to inspect manholes and catchpits, and ensure nalas, or stormwater drains, are desilted.

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