The Delhi civic body on Monday suspended five officials after a decades-old five-storey block in south-west Delhi’s Satya Niketan crashed down over the weekend, leaving seven dead and several injured.
“Unfortunately, we have lost seven lives. The Satya Niketan area is home to hundreds of university students living in crowded accommodation. The suspended officials are: Rakesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner (South Zone), Superintending Engineer Ranvir Singh, Executive Engineer (Building) Lalit Kumar Goel, Assistant Engineer (Building) Sunil Chauhan and Junior Engineer (Building) Ashish Kumar of the South Zone. We think the building next to the collapsed building has weakened, and it was strengthened through the night.
The suspension orders were issued by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi Vigilance Department on the directions of the civic body’s commissioner under the DMC Services (Control and Appeal) Regulations, 1959. The officials have been placed under suspension with immediate effect under Regulation 5(2), the orders said. We will take it up for demolition in a calibrated manner in the next 1-2 days,” MCD Commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar said.
A regular identification is conducted. This is a regular process to take action against unauthorised construction,” he added. Rescue operations continue at the site of the accident.
“In August, we had passed demolition orders for 3-4 buildings in the same area. In the last three months, 960 demolitions were carried out, 407 buildings were sealed, and notices were served to 1500 buildings for sealing and demolition.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday arrived in Satya Niketan to oversee the second day of search and rescue operations. Delhi Police continues its search for the building’s owner, Hariram Bansal, who remains untraceable, as multiple teams have been formed to find him and an LOC (Look Out Circular) has been issued.
She said the government, in collaboration with the civic body, is formulating a policy mandating periodic structural audits and safety certifications for all buildings used for public activity — including PGs, nursing homes, schools and other facilities — failing which no such activity will be permitted.
