Delhi’s civic authorities pulled down an unsafe building adjoining the Satya Niketan collapse site on Tuesday, days after the September 6 incident killed seven people.
The demolition targeted the property at P-13 Satya Niketan, under an MCD order issued September 6 citing Section 348 read with Section 491 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957.
The owner of the collapsed building has been arrested, five MCD officials suspended, and a contractor also held.
The National Human Rights Commission issued notices to the Delhi government and the University Grants Commission on September 8 over the collapse.
The Supreme Court is set to hear a plea on September 10 seeking a nationwide investigation into unsafe buildings, with the Amicus Curiae seeking safety audits of student housing near Delhi colleges.
The five suspended MCD officials are expected to face a separate departmental inquiry into how the adjoining unsafe structure went unflagged prior to the collapse.
The Satya Niketan building collapse on September 6 killed seven people, with rescue operations by NDRF and Delhi Fire Services continuing through the following days.
The demolition order for the adjoining property, P-13 Satya Niketan, was issued on September 6 under Section 348 read with Section 491 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957.
Senior Advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha, appointed Amicus Curiae in the case, has sought court directions for a time-bound inspection and safety audit of PG accommodations and private hostels near colleges and universities across Delhi.
The National Human Rights Commission issued notices to both the Delhi government and the University Grants Commission on September 8 over the incident.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had earlier ordered a case against the collapsed building’s owner and a magisterial inquiry into the circumstances of the collapse.
Satya Niketan is a densely packed neighbourhood near Delhi University’s South Campus, home to a large number of paying-guest accommodations and student hostels.
MCD Civic Centre, New Delhi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
