Many of you may be familiar with the statement that this post will be referred to by. Now, when I read this after I heard it spoken by the government on TV, I sat and thought about the statement. Why did this statement sound so vague and without merit?
A few days later:
A few days after the tragic even where an under construction building collapsed and fell on an unfortunate nine humans, on the 22nd of October 2024, I was requested to attend a panel discussion on TV9 English. I am attaching the link https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1ZkJzRELndaJv my comments in the program can be seen/heard in between the 12th and 29th minutes of the show.
So, when I was asked about the statement ‘Building collapsed due to use of poor material..’ – I said – let’s just go back a bit. Let’s start from the beginning.
The beginning:
Before you design any building you need to have a soil test done. It is a simple test and will cost not more than around Rs. 20,000 to maybe a maximum of Rs. 50,000 for a normal building. It is the strength of the soil and the depth of the hard strata that will determine what kind of foundation is required for the building to be built.
Based on the type of building, there are calculations to be made on what load the structure of the building must take. So, based on all these factors the structural consultants will design the structure. Modern methods ensure that there is no over specification of a structure either. A building that is load bearing, generally lasts between 45 to 50 years and one that is a frame structure, between 75 and 100 years. So, it is very important that designs are based on scientific inputs and data.
The building that collapsed:
The building that collapsed in Bengaluru, fell, on to one side as if one portion of the building sunk and the other was sucked out of the ground. In the video that we saw it was clear that the building per se did not come apart, till the building fell completely.
Simple fact – no soil test, no design study, nothing. Just built as per the contractors drawing and the builders greed.
Sadly, we all know, the owners will come out on bail, in a short while and the case will go nowhere. All the noise has almost died down.
The Government:
Then various ministers and officials said :
a. The building was illegal.
b. Poor construction material was used. ( This without even a study of the material used)
c. The building was built on ‘B’ Khatha land.
d. We will hold everyone who is in charge, responsible.
e. Very sorry for the loss of life, we will pay Rs. X Lakhs to the survivors and Rs. X Thousand to the injured.
f. All illegal buildings will be scrutinised and action taken.
f. Then the Union government, because this is a state ruled by those opposing it in the Centre, ensured that a sum was paid from the Relief Fund that is controlled by the Union.
The building collapsed on the 22nd of October 2024. In the two weeks post the sad event, the only things that have happened are:
i. The owners of the property were arrested and are in judicial custody.
ii. Presumably the money to go to the next of kin of those who sadly died, may have have been paid. There is no record of whether they have received it.
iii. One junior engineer of the BBMP has been sacked.
Ashte ( as they say in Kannada)
Now supposing even an accident happened in a regular site being built with all approvals, then:
a. The Managing Director or the Chairman of the Property developer would have been hauled up and even arrested.
b. The Site in charge would have been arrested.
c. The Contractor’s Boss would have been arrested.
No one would have said anything except that ‘these builders are crooks and that they deserve to be put away’.
So, my questions are simple:
i. Why was the BBMP Chief not summoned by anyone because it is his team that ignored the illegal building being constructed.?
ii. Why must the Government pay compensation because the money they are using is public money? Why should public money be used by the Government and not reimbursed by those responsible? Why should the Owner of the building not pay from his pocket? Why should the BBMP officers be made to pay from their pockets? Why?
We do not value human lives in India. Period.
A majority or dare I say, over 75% of those who live in apartments in the city and the suburbs, live in buildings that are illegal. Please check the statistics. Don’t blame any political party – all those who have been in power over the last three decades are guilty of turning a blind eye to such illegalities.
Now, read these articles:
Please know that any building above 15 meters in height is considered a High Rise building. That, in effect means, any building over ground plus four floors is a High Rise building. That means, they have to obtain, these certificates/ NOC’s, at least:
- Fire Fighting NOC ( Most important)
- Environment Clearance.
- Airport NOC
- Telecom NOC
- BWSSB NOC
https://site.bbmp.gov.in/PDF/buildingplanapproval/NOC%20Details.pdf
So, here’s the thing. The government changed the norms for Fire NOC ( The most important NOC) stating that a Fire NOC is not required for buildings up to 21 meters in height. Hence, all those ugly, unsafe, illegal high rise buildings stick to a maximum height of 21 meters. ( There is some honour among thieves).
Where do we go from here?
To be honest, I do not know. When I came to Bengaluru in 1986, transferred from Madras, the thought of illegal high rise buildings was not even there. With the Gangaram building collapse, in 1983, before I started in this field, all work on High Rise buildings stopped till structural drawings were revisited and verified.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangaram_building_collapse
Sadly, the courts let of all the accused due to a technicality. However, at least, in those days there was a lot more horror and accountability . I am told, that since I am a Property Developer, I must not write on such subjects. What happens if everyone takes such a stand? If the Government and the courts and tribunals penalise builders humungous amounts for not obtaining an Occupation Certificate, why is there no action against illegal buildings? Yes, I am opening myself to threats from those who will find this uncomfortable, but, as I have always believed, what the hell? We have only one life, let’s not live in fear.
I have a lot I want to say about Fire Hazards with illegal buildings and will do that in another Blog. My only request is that this Blog is shared and reshared. If the reader is living in an illegal high rise building, take steps to move to one which has all the approvals .
Stay Safe..
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Just read your blog. You’ve shed light on crucial aspects that most of us, as laypersons, often overlook. When searching for an apartment, we aren’t usually equipped—or inclined—to check if the builder has considered these factors. If required approvals are advertised, that tends to satisfy us. Some of the more meticulous ones might verify on the BBMP or RERA sites, but beyond that, the focus shifts to amenities, carpet area, price, and location. Scrutinizing each detail isn’t practical for the average buyer.
Even Housing Finance Companies and banks, as far as I know, don’t typically assess these aspects before approving the project for Housing Loans. From my experience as a banker, our checks were limited to title deeds, their chain of ownership, encumbrances, and the builder’s reputation. Things might have evolved since, with site visits by engineers to inspect technical aspects.
The video of the building collapse in Hennur was a shock—seeing a structure perched on four thin poles, almost like a makeshift ‘erumadom.’
By the way, is RERA a reliable option for swift redressal? And if a complainant gets a favorable order, what’s the process to enforce it? Does it require filing another suit to execute the award?
Many thanks for your comments. However, I must say that anyone investing such huge amounts needs to do a bit of research and checking before they put their money in.