Delhi Hotel Fire, Saidulajab Building Collapse Triggers MCD Crackdown; Over 70 Properties Sealed, 12 Demolished

Jagran Correspondent, New Delhi: In the wake of the recent incidents in Saidulajab and Hauz Rani, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has intensified its crackdown on illegal construction and property misuse.

According to a report by Jagran.com, the MCD on Saturday demolished 12 illegal structures and sealed 79 properties. The largest action was taken in the Najafgarh zone.

In Mahipalpur, near the airport, officials sealed 19 hotels operating under the guise of bed and breakfasts for violating license rules. Additionally, three illegal restaurants, including Dolphin International, Hanuwant, Aerofly, Portview, Annexe B&B, Bikaner Restaurant, and KGN Biryani Point, were sealed for the unauthorised misuse of property.

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Biggest Action So Far

According to the MCD, this is the biggest action so far, following directives from Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Since June 1, the corporation has demolished 97 illegal constructions and sealed 137 properties.

In the southern zone where the incident occurred, the SDMC sealed 18 properties and demolished three on Saturday across Saidulazab, Hauz Rani, Khirki Extension, Savitri Nagar, Khanpur, and Gautam Nagar.

The MCD states that the primary focus is on building owners and builders who violate the rules. They have to be made aware of the importance of the rules related to construction and property use as laid down in the Master Plan-2021, Unified Building By-laws-2016, and the DMC Act-1957.

To prevent financial losses, the corporation has advised citizens to visit their local zonal office before purchasing any property to verify that it is free of building violations or active bookings.

Zero-Tolerance Policy Towards Illegal Construction

The Delhi government has announced a zero-tolerance policy regarding illegal construction. The Chief Minister stated that a permanent system is being developed to curb such dangerous and illegal constructions in the future.

As a part of this initiative, the officials have been directed to explore the possibility of developing a third-party insurance system for buildings, guest houses, nursing homes, and other public utility buildings that have a large footfall.

Additionally, Gupta directed the development of a digital tracking system to ensure transparency in fire department responses. To further ensure compliance, authorities have been directed to blacklist architects found constructing on DDA land that do not conform to approved plans.

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Revenue Department Inspects 124 Sites, Issues Notices

The Delhi government's Revenue Department recently inspected 124 sites across several districts.

- South District: 30 sites were inspected; 11 premises were sealed, and show-cause notices were issued in 19 cases.

- Outer North District: Three unauthorised buildings were demolished for violating building bylaws.

- North, East, West, South-West, & Central (North) Districts: Inspections resulted in notices to violators across 64 total sites.

- New Delhi And Central Districts: Sealing notices were issued in New Delhi, and closure notices were issued in the Central District.

- Old Delhi District: One property held a fire department NOC but did not have an approved building plan. The matter was referred to MCD.

No violations were found during inspections in the South-East district.

(With Inputs From Jagran.com)