MCD demolishes 24 properties, seals seven illegal structures after Satya Niketan collapse

MCD has demolished 24 properties and sealed seven illegal structures since the Satya Niketan building collapse killed seven people. From September 1 to 8, it demolished 48 properties and sealed 15, while authorities ordered inspections and structural audits across PG hubs

New Delhi: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has carried out demolition action against 24 properties and sealed seven illegal structures since the building collapse in Satya Niketan, according to data updated till Tuesday. According to the report, on Monday, MCD demolished seven properties and sealed two properties, issued 26 show-cause notices for unauthorised construction, four show-cause notices for sealing and 12 demolition orders across the national capital.

The action comes in the wake of the collapse on Sunday of a five-storey building in south Delhi’s Satya Niketan, which killed at least seven people. The crash brought the issue of illegal construction into focus as the civic corporation received flak, leading to the suspension of five engineers, including the deputy commissioner (south) zone.

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According to a report, on Tuesday, the corporation carried out demolition action against 17 properties and sealed five others in its drive against unauthorised construction. The MCD also issued nine show-cause notices for unauthorised construction, two show-cause notices for sealing and 15 demolition orders on September 8, the report said.

According to MCD officials, action has been taken across all 12 zones of the MCD, particularly in Laxmi Nagar, Vishwas Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar, Jamia Nagar, Shaheen Bagh, Tilak Nagar, Karam Pura, Karol Bagh, Ramesh Nagar, Mansarovar Garden, Chandni Chowk, and Nehru Vihar. Most of these areas house a substantial student population.

On Monday, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta held a meeting with top government and MCD officials and directed authorities to carry out inspection drives in paying guest (PG) accommodation hubs, especially in houses that have prima facie violated height and floor restrictions According to officials, between September 1 and 8, the civic body carried out demolition action against 48 properties and sealed 15 properties.

During the same period, it issued 90 show-cause notices for unauthorised construction, 124 show-cause notices for sealing and 66 demolition orders. Sandhu directed the chief secretary to ensure that structural audits of all buildings in PG hubs are carried out within a week, the report says. From June 1 to August 31, the MCD carried out demolition action against 959 properties and sealed 456 properties. It issued 1,461 show-cause notices for unauthorised construction, 590 show-cause notices for sealing and 687 demolition orders during the period, it states.

Overall, between June 1 and September 8, the MCD carried out demolition action against 1,007 properties and sealed 471 others. A total of 1,551 show-cause notices for unauthorised construction, 714 show-cause notices for sealing and 753 demolition orders were issued during the period, according to the report.