Years of MCD inaction despite repeated warnings led to building collapse in Delhi's Saket, SC told

Years of inaction by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) despite repeated warnings directly led to the May 30 collapse of an illegally constructed building in Saket, killing six people. This scathing assessment comes from a court-appointed amicus curiae tasked with investigating the tragedy.

The five-storey building, located in Saidulajab, Saket, collapsed on May 30, resulting in six fatalities and 14 injuries. In a status report submitted to the Supreme Court, senior advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha, the amicus curiae, called for a thorough investigation into the roles of MCD officials. He also recommended a city-wide structural audit of buildings under the municipal body's jurisdiction and a comprehensive effort to seal and demolish illegal structures.

The report highlights that the illegal construction occurred in stages over more than a decade. Municipal records show the property was first flagged for unauthorized construction in 2012, with further violations noted in 2015. Despite these official bookings, no effective action was taken. The report states the corporation "failed to discharge its statutory obligations despite repeated notice of the violations" and did not seal the premises or take consequential action as upper floors were added.

This incident follows closely on the heels of a fire in Hauz Rani that killed 22 people, again raising questions about the MCD's oversight of building safety regulations. The Supreme Court is monitoring the Saket building collapse as part of its ongoing supervision of illegal constructions and land misuse across the country. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi did not respond to requests for comment on the amicus report.