The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has reported that it has demolished 82 properties and sealed 43 properties since June 1, following a tragic building collapse and a fire incident in the national capital. On Wednesday, 21 people lost their lives in a fire at a bed and breakfast (B&B) guesthouse in Hauz Rani, while on May 30, six people died in a multi-storey building collapse in south Delhi's Saidulajab area.
Crackdown Following Directions
Officials stated that the crackdown on unauthorised construction was conducted following directives from Lieutenant Governor TS Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. After the B&B blaze, MCD identified 12 B&B guesthouses operating in violation of building bye-laws in the same area during a joint survey. Additionally, 32 properties in Saidulajab and 9 properties in Khirki Extension were marked as violators.
Sealing and Demolition Actions
On Friday, five B&B guesthouses were sealed, including Green Residency, Venue Inn, Sky Inn, and Mi Cassa Inn. Subsequently, one property in Khirki Extension was demolished and sealed. Eight other properties in Saidulajab were also demolished and sealed. More sealing drives are being planned against properties in Saidulajab and Khirki Extension.
Since June 1, MCD has conducted demolition actions against 12 properties in the south zone, seven in the Civil Lines zone, and eight in the Narela Zone for violating building bylaws. The drives were carried out by MCD teams, assisted by Delhi Police, with bulldozers deployed to remove illegal structures.
Constant Vigil and Stern Measures
To ensure effective monitoring, the areas are under constant surveillance to identify any unauthorised construction or B&B guesthouses flouting regulations. Officials warned that any illegal construction or activity will be dealt with sternly by the MCD, and demolition and sealing actions will become stronger with stringent measures in the coming days.
In Savitri Nagar, Sainik Farm, and Khanpur, demolition and sealing actions were undertaken against three properties. Additionally, three basements were sealed for running libraries in Gautam Nagar. MCD also claimed to have issued over 150 notices related to unauthorised construction, sealing, and demolition for property misuse.
Public Advisory
The civic body advised the general public not to engage in unauthorised construction or illegal activities, which are against the provisions of the DMC Act-1957, Master Plan-2021, and Unified Building Bye-Laws-2016, keeping in view the repercussions such as demolition and sealing actions by the MCD.
