Hyderabad: Citing soaring property prices in industrial zones such as Patancheru, Balanagar, Jeedimetla, Cherlapalli, Ramachandrapuram and Nacharam, residents have raised concerns over the increasing fire risks in these areas. They are urging the government to implement stringent fire safety regulations not only for industries but also for residential and commercial buildings that now surround them.
With property rates ranging from Rs 50 lakh for a 2BHK flat to Rs 4 crore for standalone homes on plots below 300 square yards, buyers say their investment is overshadowed by constant fear—of industrial fires, as well as deteriorating air and water quality.
For instance, in Cherlapalli and Nacharam, residential buildings have come up in the heart of industrial zones, a development many attribute to unchecked expansion. “There used to be a clear boundary between industrial and residential areas. But with population growth and unregulated construction, that line has faded,” said a resident of Nacharam.
B. Vikram, a resident of Nacharam, said officials assured them that chemical factories are confined to the core industrial zone, while the surrounding units are relatively low-risk, small-scale manufacturing units, which are less vulnerable to fire accidents. “But we are not satisfied with this explanation,” he added.
A resident of Patancheru, referring to the recent Pashamylaram factory fire, said, “There may not be houses right next to the factory, but people passing through are also at risk in case of accidents.”
Once sparsely populated with standalone houses and rented accommodations for industrial workers, these areas have now transformed into dense urban pockets. “In Patancheru, 20-storey buildings have come up. Balanagar and Jeedimetla too have seen rapid residential construction,” another resident noted.
Residents insist that fire safety standards in these zones should be more stringent than in the rest of the city. “Industrial fires, especially in chemical units, are far more dangerous than regular fire incidents. Safety norms must be more serious,” said a resident from Pashamylaram.
