24 buildings in south Delhi found unsafe, dangerous: Survey

New Delhi: As many as 24 properties in south Delhi have been found structurally unsafe or dangerous in a municipal survey and the SDMC has send vacation notices to the owners or occupiers of such buildings, the civic body today said.

During the survey conducted recently, as many as 10 lakh properties were inspected, out of which 24 properties have been found to be susceptible in their structural safety aspect, South Delhi Mayor Subhash Arya said.

The buildings identified are — 11 each in South and West Zone and one each in Central and Najafgarh Zones of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, it said.

Mayor Arya held a meeting with Municipal Commissioner Puneet Kumar Goel, Additional Commissioner, Zonal Deputy Commissioners, Chief Engineers and senior officers of the Engineering Department to review the comprehensive survey of all buildings within its areas to ascertain structural safety of buildings and take preventive measures on those found to be structurally unsafe or dangerous.

“Accordingly, with a view to preclude any mishap, Section 348 of the DMC Act 1957 has been invoked in respect of these buildings, and Vacation Notices under Section 349 of the Act have been issued to the owners/occupiers of such dangerous buildings,” the SDMC said.

Incidentally, a four-storeyed building in Vishnu Garden area falling under the West Zone of the SDMC had collapsed on the night of July 18, leaving 5 people dead.

The mishap had triggered a war of words and blame game between the AAP-led Delhi government and the BJP-ruled civic bodies.

Commissioner Goel said directions were issued in respect of government buildings, from structural safety point of view. More such surveys would be a regularly conducted in the coming days.

The Commissioner said to ensure safety of the buildings situated in different areas of the capital, the corporation has empanelled additional 75 structural engineers for assessing the structural safety of buildings.