Illegal basement construction in Beijing resulted in a cave-in and the collapse of nearby homes. (Photo : www.china.org.cn)

Local authorities in Beijing have discovered a basement illegally dug under a house on Friday, Nov. 20, 11 months after a courtyard being excavated in Xicheng District led to a road cave-in and the collapse of neighborhood houses, China Daily reported.



According to the report, the illegal basement was the largest found in Beijing and was built under two adjacent houses in Shaluo Hutong, Dongcheng District.




Yan Jianheng, director of demolition office dealing with illegal construction in Dongcheng District, said that the area covers more than 700 square meters spread across three floors underground and the deepest point is 10 meters, based on a preliminary measurement.



Law enforcement officials said that the property was owned by a person surnamed Li, who bought the houses in 2008 and registered them under his and his son's names.



The report said that the owner, who operates a car rental company, planned to use the basement as a garage. At least 100 cars will be accommodated at the basement, once the digging work was finished.



The owner reportedly hired part-time workers who worked from midnight to early morning for the construction. Shovels were also used, instead of large machines, the report added.



Officials from Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said that a third-party institution was invited to evaluate the basement. The case will be handed over to the police if the construction endangers public security.



The report said that Li will face an administrative penalty and a maximum fine of 10 percent of the total construction costs.



In January, a street collapsed after workers illegally dug a basement under a courtyard on Deshengmen Inner Street, Xicheng District, which caused traffic on the northern second Ring Road of downtown Beijing and caused four adjacent houses to collapse. The cave-in resulted in a crater that measured 15 meters long, 5 meters wide and 10 meters deep.



Li Baojun, a legislator in Xuzhou, a city in Jiangsu Province, turned out to be the owner of the property where the basement was illegally dug.



Beijing News reported that building a basement under a courtyard has become a trend in the capital, because it is practical and economical. In addition, it does not only enlarge a living space but also add value to a house.



A real estate agent estimated that a 300-square-meter courtyard can sell for 45 million yuan. A basement can add 10 million yuan to the property's total value while construction costs are only about 1.2 million yuan.



After the legislator's case, authorities in Beijing have reportedly strengthened efforts to crack down on illegal basements.

