The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has surveyed 1,252 paying guest accommodation buildings across the Capital following the Satya Niketan tragedy, finding three structures to be “dangerous” and nine in need of major repairs. The inspections, carried out between September 7 and 9, are part of a citywide safety drive launched after the collapse of a five-storey boys’ PG in Satya Niketan killed seven people.
Of the 1,252 buildings inspected, 1,201 were assessed as visibly safe, while 39 were found to require minor repairs. Nine were classified as needing major repairs and three as visibly vulnerable or dangerous. Demolition of one of the three dangerous structures has already begun. The civic body has also separately identified 26 framed structures taller than ground plus four floors for closer monitoring because of their potential vulnerability.
Survey to continue
The MCD is classifying PG properties into four categories — visibly safe, repairable with minor work, repairable with major work, and vulnerable or dangerous. Particular attention is being paid to taller buildings and their construction type as officials attempt to identify structures requiring urgent intervention. The exercise is also intended to create a comprehensive database of PG accommodations and their occupants across Delhi.
The inspections were ordered after the Satya Niketan collapse triggered scrutiny of the large number of private hostels and PGs operating from residential buildings, particularly in areas with sizeable student populations. The MCD survey is set to continue as authorities examine structural vulnerabilities alongside unauthorised construction and misuse of residential properties.
Demolition drive intensified
Alongside the PG inspections, the civic body has stepped up enforcement against illegal and unsafe construction across its 12 zones. On Wednesday, 34 demolition actions were carried out and 17 properties were sealed. The MCD also issued 22 show-cause notices and passed four demolition orders for violations of building bye-laws and the Master Plan of Delhi. Action was taken at properties in several areas, including Jama Masjid, Bazar Sitaram, Rana Pratap Bagh, Model Town, Vikas Nagar and Dwarka.
The crackdown follows a broader enforcement drive that was already underway before the Satya Niketan tragedy. Between June 1 and early September, the civic body carried out hundreds of demolitions and sealing actions and issued notices against unauthorised construction. The collapse has now brought PG accommodations under particularly close scrutiny, with the Delhi government also moving towards tighter regulation, structural and fire-safety checks and a formal registration framework for private student accommodation.