The practice of construction bestows great profits to the builders; the practice of illegal construction, even more. The state of corruption in the industry goes unnoticed, till such a calamity as an earthquake. In the normal course of construction, for any large project — say a school, housing or an office building — the steady movement of thousands of kilos of steel reinforcement, bags of cement and acres of expensive granite from a building site into the contractor’s pocket is the natural sequence of a long building process. Builder-contractor-architect, together forms a small club of beneficiaries. False bills are raised by the contractor, sanctioned by the architect, and sent to the owner for payment. Unable to verify the vast quantities of materials required, he pays quickly, so as not to stall construction. The club prospers.

In 25 years of practice, the perils of this association are daily brought into sharp focus. For a high rise public housing project, the extra beams required for seismic support — if left unbuilt — could yield an additional profit of two crore on a 40-crore project. Substitution of cheaper wiring and cables — though a fire hazard — can add to the kitty. What’s more, the mere omission of fire stairs — indicated on the approved plan, but left out during construction — may destroy many lives, as they often have, but save a few lakhs for a Goa holiday. In matters of savings, the builder is a devoted banker, without conscience or compromise.

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