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Bengaluru Authorities Ordered to Audit Unsafe Buildings After Deadly Fire
17 Aug
Summary
- Deputy CM Shivakumar directs officials to identify and serve notices on owners of unscientific or structurally weak buildings
- Shivakumar "alarmed" by conditions in Nagarathpet where 5 people died in a fire
- Nearly 70% of Bengaluru's buildings are technically illegal, says Shivakumar
On August 17, 2025, Bengaluru's Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar visited the Nagarathpet area where a fire had claimed 5 lives just two days earlier. Shivakumar expressed deep concerns over the hazardous living conditions in the locality and has now directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials to identify and serve notices on owners of buildings that have been constructed unscientifically or have become structurally weak.
Shivakumar admitted that he was "alarmed" after stepping inside the damaged building, stating that in such cramped spaces, a fire outbreak can easily lead to stampedes and inevitable deaths. He revealed that nearly 70% of buildings in Bengaluru are technically illegal, with builders exceeding permissible limits, especially in new Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) layouts.
The Deputy Chief Minister ruled out immediate large-scale demolitions, but said property owners would be asked to undertake repairs of weak buildings without delay. He warned that if they fail to do so, the government will intervene. Shivakumar also announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh for each family of the deceased in the Nagarathpet fire incident.
