Delhi: MCD widens crackdown, demolishes 34 structures

Three days after the fatal building collapse in Satya Niketan, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has intensified its crackdown on unauthorised construction, property misuse and structurally unsafe buildings across the Capital, carrying out 34 demolition actions and sealing 17 properties across all 12 zones on Wednesday.

The enforcement drive comes after the September 6 collapse of a building in South Delhi’s Satya Niketan that claimed seven lives, including five Delhi University students.

At Satya Niketan, MCD workers continued demolishing unsafe portions of buildings adjoining the collapsed structure. Using crowbars and sledgehammers, workers brought down weak walls and railings, while civic officials went door to door in around 10-15 buildings, asking residents to vacate and checking construction permissions, PG occupancy and the number of occupants in individual rooms.

According to the MCD’s daily enforcement report, the civic body has carried out 1,053 demolitions, sealed 491 properties and issued 2,316 show-cause notices and 757 demolition notices between June 1 and September 9.

On Wednesday, major demolition action was reported from the Narela, South, Central, Keshavpuram and Shahdara (North) zones. Action was also taken against a dangerous property in Deep Enclave-II, Vikas Nagar. In the Civil Lines zone, four properties, including Vardhman Mall, were sealed for misuse, while demolition action was taken against unauthorised construction in Sant Nagar A-1 Block Extension. Four properties in Prem Nagar and Kala Mahal in the City-SP zone also faced demolition action.