Building that collapsed in Delhi's Saidulajab was ‘booked’ by MCD, but no action taken

A six-story building collapsed in Delhi's Saidulajab area on Saturday, killing six people and injuring nine others. The structure fell onto a neighboring canteen, exacerbating the tragedy. The incident highlights a systemic failure in enforcing building regulations, as the collapsed structure was among more than 125,000 properties labeled by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) as having violated norms.

Despite being "booked" – a designation for unauthorized construction or bylaw violations – these properties often face minimal or no enforcement action. Records show that as of May 31 this year, 125,755 properties in Delhi carried this label, making their owners liable for penalties. However, a significant penalty, the disconnection of power, was reversed in November 2025 when the Delhi government allowed restoration of power connections, citing "public interest" and lengthy court cases.

Further complicating the situation, Delhi Police had written to the MCD in March, requesting verification of the building's construction against its sanctioned plan. Police specifically flagged the addition of a fifth floor. Despite this warning, the MCD took insufficient action. The building's owner, Karamveer Zaildar, was arrested and charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligent conduct.

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In many booking cases, we face legal issues and delays and effective action translates in around a third of cases. The said property had been booked, but that action might have been taken recently.