The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has taken decisive action following a tragic building collapse in the city's Satya Niketan area, suspending South Zone Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, claimed the lives of seven students and left multiple others injured.
Alongside Deputy Commissioner Kumar, four engineers from the South Zone have also been placed under suspension. These officials include Superintending Engineer Ranvir Singh, Executive Engineer (Building) Lalit Kumar Goel, Assistant Engineer (Building) Sunil Chauhan, and Junior Engineer (Building) Ashish Kumar. All suspended personnel will receive a subsistence allowance as per the applicable regulations.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police have apprehended the owner of the collapsed building, Hariram Gupta, from Bhiwadi in Rajasthan. He is currently undergoing further examination in connection with the case.
Details of the Collapse and Ongoing Investigation
The decades-old five-story structure, which served as a boys' paying guest (PG) accommodation near Delhi University's South Campus, collapsed around 1:30 PM on Sunday while repair work was underway. Initial investigations are reportedly focusing on several irregularities, including the construction of additional floors without permission, repair work in the basement, and the absence of a second exit.
Rescue operations continued into Monday, with multiple agencies tirelessly working to clear the debris. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the site on both Sunday and Monday to oversee the search and rescue efforts. So far, 12 individuals have been pulled from the rubble, with seven confirmed fatalities. Approximately 80 percent of the debris has been cleared, with only the basement remaining.
Future Safety Measures and Accountability
Chief Minister Gupta announced that the building adjacent to the collapsed structure, deemed extremely dangerous, would also be demolished once the debris is fully cleared. Residents of both the collapsed building and other unsafe adjacent properties have been evacuated.
In response to the tragedy, the Chief Minister confirmed that a structural audit would be conducted for all similar buildings across the city. Furthermore, a new policy is being drafted to mandate that owners of old buildings operating as paying guest services, nursing homes, schools, or other commercial establishments must submit structural audit reports and certify their safety. Gupta emphasized that strict action would be taken against any officials found responsible for negligence in this incident.