Hidden dangers that go beyond bricks and beams : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 Hidden dangers that go beyond bricks and beams

(Building from Blueprint to Blunder or Brilliance)

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

The Hans India (06-07-2025)

{What we urgently need is that construction is regulated and safety is scrupulously embedded into the process, from the beginning, not hastily added after disaster strikes. Every critical component must be independently certified by qualified third-party professionals, not by the contractor or a lethargic GHMC official. These certifications must be digitized and uploaded to a central registry accessible to the public} - Editor Synoptic Note

The Fire in Sigachi Industries, allegedly operating without proper safety clearances, left many dead and injured. Infernos of various types and causes, have become alarmingly frequent over time. The Fire threats may now extend far beyond industrial zones. The Sigachi incident sounded a serious warning, and it looms over Hyderabad’s signature high-rise apartments, ostentatious hotels, cramped hostels, and even modest flats housing 70–80 residents. The next spark could well ignite in any home, office, or school.

Across Telangana and likely other parts of India, the path from blueprint to building, is often ambitious on paper, but shaky on the ground. It leans heavily on ‘adjustments’ at every level, beginning with a visit to the town planning officer and navigating through layers of vague regulations. Permits, more often than not, move swiftly, not on merit or safety compliance, but through subtle, unspoken incentives that grease the system. Mandatory ‘No Objection Certificates’ (NOCs) from fire departments, environmental authorities, water boards, and the airport authority rarely guarantee that a building is truly safe. Sigachi VC Ignorance about obtaining NOC from Fire Department is absurd.

Stage-wise inspections of the foundation, plumbing, electrical wiring, framing, insulation etc. are practically nonexistent. Completion Certificate followed by Occupancy Certificate remains, in many cases, only a theoretical requirement. Post-handover too, the gaps persist. Despite RERA Regulations, including the commendable defect liability clause, many apartment complexes leave the Residents’ Welfare Association burdened with unresolved issues. Only a handful of builders adhere to norms, fewer officials insist on thorough inspections, and rare are the architects who refuse to compromise.

Construction, ultimately, is not just about walls and roofs. It is about trust, that a child can sleep safely on the top floor of an apartment, that a worker will not die in a chemical explosion, that a family will not be trapped in a lift shaft-turned-living room. This trust is not built with concrete, but with accountability. Faulty electrical wiring, poorly sealed gas pipes, elevators that are less a service and more a moving coffin, bathrooms with slippery tiles waiting for a fall, substandard geysers, air conditioners, and leaking rooftops, these are not mere inconveniences, but life-threatening hazards.

A short circuit in just one flat can trigger a fire that engulfs an entire building, with smoke choking every floor. Yet, electrical systems are often certified in bulk, signed off casually or worse, never inspected at all. Fire exits remain locked, alarms do not function, and extinguishers hang more as décor than defense purposes.

What we urgently need is that construction is regulated and safety is scrupulously embedded into the process, from the beginning, not hastily added after disaster strikes. Every critical component must be independently certified by qualified third-party professionals, not by builder’s contractor or a lethargic GHMC official. These certifications must be digitized and uploaded to a central registry accessible to the public.

Against this background and context, three promising initiatives, each a brainchild of Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, hold the potential to transform the construction landscape in the state, if only implemented in letter and spirit. These forward-looking measures can correct the flawed journey of many builders and restore trust among prospective buyers. ‘HYDRA’ (Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection) aims to establish a well-coordinated disaster management system.

‘Future City’ offers a beacon of planned growth. Reconstituting the Telangana State Disaster Management Authority (TGSDMA), with the Chief Minister as Chairperson, signals a firm commitment to proactive urban safety. What every thoughtful citizen desires is that, these three fundamental initiatives, should stand as ‘Preemptive Protectors’ but not as ‘Post-Disaster Punishers.’ True urban safety must begin with design, detection, and discipline but not with demolition. This vision becomes achievable if a proactive Safety Cell is established, staffed not by clerks, but by structural engineers, electrical safety experts, fire consultants, public health specialists etc.

Introducing Digital Risk Rating System for all upcoming and existing buildings could be a transformative step, evaluating key factors like fire preparedness, electrical safety, structural integrity, occupancy load, and emergency access. Concepts like dynamic inspections, real-time construction monitoring dashboards, and annual safety recertifications deserve serious consideration. Resident Welfare Associations should evolve into active safety watch networks, with trained community members empowered to identify and report violations.

In most apartments electrical issues in individual flats are ticking time bombs, waiting for a spark to become a tragedy. Blame game begins only when problems arise. The builder shrugs. The government’s electricity department as per the rules, becomes noncommittal claiming their responsibility ends at the main meter. But if a short circuit in one flat threatens the safety of an entire building, or if substandard wiring from the builder’s time continues to crackle with danger, perhaps the government may intervene by law, and conduct safety inspections, everywhere.

If appliance manufacturers are legally bound to provide a free warranty period and later offer paid services for longer periods, why should not builders, who construct massive, complex, and long-term utility structures be made obligatory by similar legal obligations? This ensures the buyer that he is not left helpless once a defect arises. The buyer knows whom to approach, what is covered, and what the remedies are. If already there is a provision it must be strengthened by plucking the loopholes.

If a refrigerator comes with a warranty and lifelong paid service options, why not an apartment, which is vastly more expensive and far more critical to human life and safety? Builders should be legally bound to provide comprehensive post-handover support, not just as a courtesy, but as a statutory obligation. Penalties for non-compliance must be clear and enforceable. After all, builders must not walk away from the very homes they have created. They must remain accountable to those who live in them.

Structural faults, like cracks in beams, foundational flaws, faulty internal wiring or plumbing, seepage from poor waterproofing, malfunctioning fire systems, or electrical overloads stemming from construction defects, must be addressed mandatorily by the builder. Yet, most builders vanish after handing over the property and collecting final payments.

Should not they, like appliance manufacturers, be legally obligated to offer a well-defined post-handover support system? It is time to make a comprehensive warranty, clearly outlining responsibilities and timelines, not just advisable, but compulsory in the construction industry, ensuring protection for homebuyers long after possession. The way forward is that builders by an Act are not granted final approval or occupancy certificates unless post-handover service framework is unambiguously submitted. Complaints and redressals should be monitored by an independent, accessible, consumer-friendly forum, with enforceable penalties for negligence or non-compliance. In the context of fire incidents, short circuits in common areas, plumbing failures, rooftop leakages etc. the absence of builder accountability is no longer a mere oversight. It is evolving into a silent but dangerous urban crisis.

When a builder uses low-quality materials in construction, it is not merely poor workmanship, but it is a direct threat to life and property. Substandard cement, steel, wiring, or plumbing can silently undermine safety and erupt into tragedy. There is, therefore, an urgent and undeniable case for enacting or reinforcing laws that criminalize the sale and use of such low-grade components, especially when they fail certified safety standards.

Accountability in construction must no longer be optional, it must be enforced. Generally, and in the context of ‘Future City’ and to make Telangana a hub of the ‘World Manufacturing Sector’ envisioned by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, for citizens to live with dignity and security, integrity and high standards at every stage must be the foundation.