Two Killed After Multi-Storey Building Collapses In Hyderabad City
Man Injured In Adjacent Building Collapse, Hospitalised For Treatment
Two Killed, One Injured As Seven-Storey Building Collapses In Hyderabad’s Gachibowli
At least two workers were killed and another person injured after a seven-storey under-construction building collapsed in Anjaiah Nagar, Gachibowli, on Saturday, August 22, triggering a major rescue operation and renewed concerns over illegal construction in Hyderabad’s rapidly developing IT corridor.
The deceased workers were identified as Mahtab and Umesh, both tile workers from Madhya Pradesh. Officials said the structure, reportedly built on a plot measuring only around 50 to 60 square yards, collapsed suddenly, sending large quantities of debris onto an adjacent apartment building in the Whitefields area.
According to National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officials, the top floor of the under-construction building fell onto the neighbouring structure, injuring one person. The remaining floors reportedly collapsed vertically, trapping workers underneath the rubble.
NDRF teams immediately launched search and rescue operations at the site. Deputy Commandant Damodhar Singh said two bodies were recovered from the debris. Rescue personnel used canine units and cameras to inspect the collapsed structure and determine whether anyone else was trapped. After completing the searches, officials said no additional victims were found.
Singh said the building was relatively new and labourers were still working at the site when it collapsed. He also indicated that a structural defect could have contributed to the disaster. The incident has raised questions about whether proper construction standards and safety precautions were followed.
HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath visited the site and alleged that the building had been constructed over a nala without the necessary permissions. He said the structure had reached seven-plus floors, effectively making it an eight-storey building, despite being constructed on a very small plot.
Ranganath alleged that the person responsible for the construction, identified as Sajid, had previously been involved in building unauthorised structures. He said authorities would investigate other constructions linked to him and identify locations where similar violations may have occurred.
The HYDRAA commissioner also announced that a special drive would be undertaken in the area in coordination with other government departments. Authorities, he said, would identify illegal structures and take action, including demolition where necessary.
Cyberabad Municipal Commissioner G Srijana provided another significant detail about the building’s history. She said construction at the site had been stopped around four months earlier after the authorities seized the illegal structure. However, work allegedly resumed only one day before the collapse.
“This was an unfortunate incident,” Srijana said, adding that officials had not anticipated that construction would restart so quickly. She said the tragedy occurred before authorities could take further action against the resumed work.
Srijana also said officials were assessing structural damage to the neighbouring apartment building. Residents were asked to vacate the affected structure temporarily until experts could determine whether it remained safe. She further stated that four or five illegal hostels had also come up in the area and that action would be taken against them.
The incident has once again highlighted Anjaiah Nagar’s reputation for unauthorised construction. Questions are likely to be raised over how work could resume at a seized site and whether enforcement mechanisms were sufficient to prevent violations.
Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh demanded strict criminal action against municipal and town planning officials whom he accused of allowing illegal constructions despite repeated complaints from residents. He argued that accountability should not be limited to the building owner or contractor.
Singh called for murder cases against officials allegedly responsible for permitting or ignoring unsafe structures. He urged the Telangana government to treat the collapse as a warning and conduct a comprehensive review of unauthorised buildings across Hyderabad.
The deaths of the two workers have brought renewed attention to the risks faced by construction labourers, particularly at sites operating outside established safety and approval procedures. As Hyderabad continues to expand rapidly, the incident underscores the need for stronger inspections, stricter enforcement and greater accountability to prevent similar tragedies.
Officials are expected to examine approvals, structural safety and construction.