Hyderabad City College roof corridor collapses
Hyderabad : A corridor on the roof of the historic Government City College in Hyderabad collapsed near the physics laboratory and applied nutrition kitchen on the second floor, averting a major accident as no one was present at the spot.
The college has three floors. Classes were under way on the first floor when the incident occurred. Around 5,000 students and 250 teaching and non-teaching staff members are associated with the college.
College shuts old building classes until August 29
In view of the unsafe condition of the building, authorities have decided to suspend classes in the old building until August 29. Online classes will be conducted until then to ensure students’ studies are not disrupted.
Students said rainwater had entered the laboratory during last year’s monsoon, flooding it and forcing the college to declare holidays for two or three days. They alleged that repairs were not carried out despite the incident, eventually leading to the collapse of the entire corridor.
The college has around 60 to 70 rooms, students said, adding that plaster falling from ceilings was common. They also said classroom walls became damp whenever it rained.
Charminar MLA Mir Zulfeqar Ali visited the college after learning about the incident and inspected the building. He said he would write to the state government and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy seeking early repairs.
₹13.72 crore repair proposal sent in 2022
Officials had sent proposals to the government seeking funds to repair the heritage building, which had deteriorated over the years.
A committee of experts surveyed the structure after reports of damage to the building and water leaking through the roofs. It submitted a proposal in 2022 estimating the repair cost at ₹13.72 crore.
However, allegations have surfaced that the building weakened over time because funds were not released as expected and proper maintenance was not carried out.
