- Action expected against illegal PGs after Satya Niketan collapse.
- MCD survey found 1,723 PGs lack proper building plans.
- Thousands of students and professionals could face difficulties.
Jagran Correspondent, New Delhi: After the Satya Niketan building collapse incident, action is expected against the illegally operating paying guest (PG) accommodations in Delhi without a fire NOC and building plan.
Following the Delhi High Court’s stance, thousands of students and working professionals living in these PGs could face difficulties.
The seriousness of the matter can be gauged from the fact that according to the status report submitted by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi in the High Court, out of the survey of 2,453 PGs in the national capital, building plans of only 730 buildings were found in the records.
The building plans for around 1,723 buildings are either missing or illegal, putting these structures at risk of major action, including sealing or demolition.
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According to experts, the case currently underway in the High Court concerns the safety of students. The court's stance makes it clear that PGs constructed without a building plan may be considered unsafe.
Jagdish Mamgain, former chairman of the MCD's construction committee, said that if not today, then in the future, the MCD will have to submit these building plans to the court because the safety of a building can be determined through structural safety inspections or building plans. Therefore, a building without a building plan cannot be considered safe.
He has demanded from the government that it should expand the facilities of PG or hostel in the government system on war footing. What is a building plan? In MCD, the building plan is a kind of map of the building. This indicates that a building's construction and safety standards are met. Since a large population of Delhi resides in unplanned areas, building plans are not approved in many areas.
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How Did The Satya Niketan Building Collapse?
As per the investigations, two major issues have surfaced that may have contributed to the structure collapse. The officials said that the building was undergoing renovation work for over eight days. The basement was getting filled with rain water, and hence the owners decided to fill it up with debris and level it up to the ground floor.
According to news agency PTI, three truckloads of construction debris were already dumped in the basement. The debris had put additional load on the structure. Parallelly, a wall on the ground floor was also removed to create an additional space for a shop.
The alteration in the fragile building disturbed its balance, leading to a collapse.