Representative of the main Minister DK Shivakumar visited on Sunday instead of a fire accident in Nagarathpet in Bengalur. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Deputy Minister of DK Shivakumar on Sunday ordered Bruhhat’s Bengaluru Mahanagara (BBMP) officials to identify and serve the owners of buildings that were built many or became structurally weak.
Mr. Shivakumar, who visited Nagarathpet, where five people were killed on Saturday, expressed concern about the conditions under which people lived in the locality, and ordered officials to audit illegal and weak structures in the city.
“The builders raised eight to 10 floors on places that were designed to build two or three floors. Many such structures are inappropriate for housing,” said Mr. Shivakumar. “Demolitions will follow later, but a detailed survey will be carried out for now. This cannot be completed in a day and it may take years. Even in Delhi and Mumbai, similar problems persist,” he said.
The representative of the main minister admitted that he was “concerned” after entering the damaged building. “If fire breaks out in such cramped areas, people rush to escape, leading to stamps and inevitable deaths,” he said.
Mr. Shivakumar said that nearly 70% of buildings in Bengalur were technically illegal.
“The builders exceeded the permissible limits in the New Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). The Supreme Court ruled that no connection with water or electricity should be issued without a occupancy certificate, led to a reduction in four lamp connections,” he said. “The problem of granting an exception for two -storey houses on 30×40 websites will be placed in front of the cabinet,” he said.
Mr. Shivakumar asked about cramped sites such as Chickpet and Nagarathpet, he said that if they strictly use the fire safety rules, each building would have to be demolished in these locations. “Just two days earlier, the explosion of the war in Adugodi left one dead and several people injured. Five lives have now been lost in this fire. The main cause is the ruthless construction of dangerous buildings,” he said, adding that it cannot be continued.
While excluded immediate extensive demolition, Mr. Shivakumar said that real estate owners would be asked to immediately repair weak buildings. “If they fail, the government will hit. In the future, the permit for such construction will not be given,” he said.
The main minister’s representative announced that the government approved the compensation of 5 Lakhs for all families of the deceased in the fire of Nagarathpet.
Published – August 17, 2025 17:17
