Delhi CM orders scrutiny of records on illegal constructions, bulldozer action to follow

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has directed civic authorities to inspect paying guest accommodations across the city and examine building records to identify when illegal constructions came up and fix responsibility of the agencies and officials concerned, CMO officials said on Wednesday.

CM Gupta has directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to launch a crackdown on illegal constructions, including carrying out demolition action, and ensure that all senior civic officials remain on the ground during the enforcement drive.

The chief minister has also ordered an intensive inspection of all PG accommodations in Delhi, with particular focus on illegal constructions, the officials added.

Authorities have also been asked to examine building records to ascertain the year in which unauthorised constructions came up and under whose jurisdiction and responsibility they occurred.

Action against illegal constructions was carried out in several parts of the city on Wednesday as part of the drive, they added.

The directions come in the aftermath of the collapse of a five-storey building in south Delhi’s Satya Niketan on Sunday, which killed at least seven people and brought the issue of illegal construction and building safety into focus.

The MCD has since stepped up action against unauthorised constructions.

According to civic body data updated till Tuesday, demolition action was taken against 24 properties and seven illegal structures were sealed following the Satya Niketan building collapse.

Overall, between June 1 and September 8, the MCD carried out demolition action against 1,007 properties and sealed 471 others. During the period, it had issued 3018 show-cause notices — 1,551 for unauthorised construction, 714 for sealing and 753 for demolition, according to the data.

Earlier, Gupta and Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu had directed authorities to inspect PG accommodation hubs, particularly buildings that have prima facie violated prescribed height and floor restrictions. The LG had also directed that structural audits of all buildings in PG hubs be completed within a week.

The building collapse in Satya Niketan also led to administrative action against civic officials, with five MCD engineers, including the deputy commissioner of the South Zone, being suspended.