Delhi civic body begins demolishing PG besides collapsed Satya Niketan building

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has begun controlled demolition of an unsafe building beside the collapsed Satya Niketan building that left seven people dead. The action has sharpened the focus on civic oversight over unstable buildings.

In Short

• Evacuated girls' PG building was marked unsafe after Sunday's collapse
• Demolition work paused in evening, civic teams resumed today morning
• Neighbouring five-storey building collapse killed 7, injured 5 others

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Tuesday began the controlled demolition of a building next to the structure that collapsed in south Delhi's Satya Niketan on September 6, officials said. An MCD official said the adjoining building had been declared dangerous.

According to the official, the demolition began during the day and was halted in the evening. "We started demolition of the adjoining building today, and the work was stopped in the evening. The demolition exercise will resume tomorrow morning," the official said.

The building housed a girls' paying guest accommodation and was evacuated after the collapse of the neighbouring five-storey structure on Sunday. The collapse left at least seven people dead and five injured.

On the same day, the MCD issued an order for property number 13 in Satya Niketan, directing the owner or occupier to tear down the structure, saying it posed a threat to residents and nearby buildings. MCD officials had earlier said the students had already vacated the building and were returning only to collect their belongings before the demolition.

In a separate development, residents had earlier complained that a building in north Delhi's Nehru Vihar had tilted multiple times over nearly a decade, allegedly because of a faulty sewer line, and claimed civic authorities had neglected the issue.

A resident told reporters the building was demolished and rebuilt once, but developed the same problem again within a couple of years. The person said the structure, which is not more than eight years old, was most recently reconstructed around three years ago.

"We keep complaining, but no one listens. Before this, no government body – neither the Jal Board nor the MCD – carried out proper maintenance," the resident alleged. The person also alleged that at least 400 dwellings in the nearby F Block of Gandhi Vihar were tilting in one direction or another.

The Delhi Jal Board and the MCD did not immediately respond to queries.

The developments came as the MCD moved ahead with the demolition of Satya Niketan after the fatal collapse, while residents in another part of the city raised concerns over repeated structural problems and alleged inaction by civic agencies.

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