On Monday, the Delhi High Court refused to expedite a petition that challenges the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) decision to demolish a building adjacent to the site of last week’s collapse in Satya Niketan. The court’s decision comes amid ongoing concerns regarding safety and structural integrity in the area following the recent incident.
Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta ordered a magisterial inquiry into the building collapse. Two days after the collapse, MCD had begun a controlled demolition, saying that the adjoining building was declared dangerous. The court, however, refused to list the matter saying that MCD’s decision to demolish the adjacent building was based on a technical assessment or audit, and therefore did not agree to immediately list the petition.
Renovation work was underway on the ground floor of the paying guest accommodation, known as Hostel Daze, when the structure collapsed at around 1:30pm, according to police. Officers said the building was estimated to be 40–50 years old. Investigators arrested the owner of the property, Hariram Gupta, 81, a Gurugram resident. Police registered a first information report (FIR) against Gupta and unidentified others under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 290 (negligent conduct in pulling down, repairing or constructing buildings) and 125 (act endangering the life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at South Campus police station.
