The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has ordered the immediate sealing of all illegal constructions with more than four floors following the deadly collapse of a five-storey paying guest building in Satya Niketan. The civic body also warned that officials found responsible for allowing such structures will face strict action, including dismissal.
MCD orders immediate action on illegal buildings
The civic body said the new orders would be implemented with immediate effect. The decision comes after the Satya Niketan collapse, which killed six people and injured several others.
The collapsed property at P-14, Satya Niketan, stood on a plot of around 55 square yards and consisted of a basement and four floors. According to an MCD report, the structure was reportedly built in the 1990s.
Satya Niketan collapse exposes safety concerns
The building was being used as a paying guest accommodation and collapsed while renovation work was underway. An MCD official said there was no sanctioned building plan for the structure and that construction work in the basement was unauthorised.
The incident has renewed concerns over the growth of multi-storey student accommodation in Satya Niketan, a neighbourhood close to Delhi University’s South Campus.
Officials face dismissal over violations
The MCD has made clear that enforcement will not be limited to sealing buildings. Officials found guilty of permitting illegal constructions will face strict action, including immediate dismissal, according to the civic body.
The move comes amid wider scrutiny of enforcement mechanisms in Delhi. Earlier inspections of buildings suspected of violating construction and fire-safety rules reportedly lost momentum after an initial enforcement drive.
The latest orders are aimed at strengthening monitoring and preventing potentially unsafe structures from continuing to operate, particularly in densely populated areas where student accommodation has expanded rapidly.