HYDERABAD: More than two months after `final notices' were issued to multi-storied buildings labelled `unsafe' for lacking proper fire-fighting systems, the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad is preparing grounds to take penal action.

Starting from Wednesday, six teams will fan out in different circles for the next three days to do a re-check on fire safety measures adopted on such multi-storied buildings and those without them will be `sealed' Monday onwards.

Punitive action

"We have given them sufficient time but 10 high rises have not responded to our notices. We will start taking punitive action especially against commercial complexes," says Chief City Planner B. Purushotama Reddy.

Of the 138 multi-storied buildings under the scanner, inmates of about 60 multi-storied buildings have responded to the notices explaining about the fire safety measures they had taken. Twenty-five buildings have claimed total compliance and 33 buildings' are in the process. Ten other multi-storied buildings were under various stages of construction.

The MCH teams will take note of the fire-fighting steps taken in these buildings and revert to the Fire Services Department for authentication, says Mr. Reddy.

Residential buildings of 18 metres and above and commercial buildings of 15 metres and above had come under the scanner of fire safety rules following a directive from the High Court.

Last year, the MCH in association with the Fire Services Department had declared all the 138 multi-storied buildings to be `unsafe' and urged 80 owners or residential associations to adopt "feasible" fire safety measures.

Fire extinguishers

It was expected to cost between Rs. 10 lakhs to Rs. 40 lakhs and upwards for installation of wet risers, fire extinguishers and construction of water storage tanks etc.

The Fire Services Department had originally declared 2,400 buildings in the capital region as `unsafe,' but this was later scaled down to 300-odd by MCH and HUDA based on varied height parameters for commercial and residential before submitting a list to the High Court.

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