New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): The Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s annual pre-monsoon building inspection has raised questions over how effectively the civic body is dealing with structures that may pose a safety risk. Despite examining nearly 30.7 lakh buildings across the Capital, the MCD classified only 62 structures as dangerous this year.
The figures assume significance as Delhi continues to witness incidents involving ageing and structurally compromised buildings. The concern is not merely about the number of structures identified during inspections, but also about what happens after a building is declared unsafe.
Several cases point to a gap between identification and corrective action.
Buildings declared unsafe remain standing
One such example is a structure at Gaffar Market, which was declared dilapidated in 2021 following an assessment by IIT Roorkee. Despite the classification, effective action against the building is yet to materialise. The market continues to have thousands of shops operating in the area, raising questions about the safety of people working in and visiting the premises.
Another case has emerged from Krishna Kunj in Rohini Sector 15. Building No. 18 in B-Block, Pocket B-6, was reportedly declared dilapidated nearly four years ago. However, a permanent resolution is still pending.
Bamboo supports have been placed around the structure and a warning marking it as a danger zone has been displayed. But these temporary measures have not addressed the fundamental structural concern.
The situation has consequently raised questions about accountability in the event of a collapse.
Civic body’s own building under scrutiny
The issue extends beyond privately owned properties. An MCD zonal office in Old Delhi has also come under the spotlight because of its deteriorating condition.
Sections of the building reportedly show signs of poor maintenance, with mortar peeling away from walls. The structure is also located near an underground Metro corridor and reportedly experiences vibrations whenever trains pass through.
Despite the concerns, necessary repair work remains pending. The condition of the building was recently brought up by AAP councillor Ariba Khan during a meeting of the MCD Standing Committee.
The premises house the civic body’s zonal property tax and education departments, meaning officials as well as members of the public continue to access the building.
Karol Bagh tops list of dangerous structures
The MCD’s pre-monsoon inspection data shows considerable variation between zones.
The Karol Bagh zone reported the highest number of structures classified as dangerous, with 19 buildings. It was followed by the West zone with nine, Central with eight, South with four and City-Sadar Paharganj with five.
In contrast, Shahdara North, Shahdara South and Civil Lines did not report a single building being categorised as dangerous during the exercise.
Survey numbers raise questions about follow-up
The wide gap between the number of buildings inspected and those declared dangerous does not, by itself, establish that the survey was ineffective. However, the figures have prompted questions about the methodology of inspections and whether potentially hazardous structures are being identified early enough.
More importantly, cases where buildings have already been declared dilapidated but continue to remain in use highlight a second challenge for the civic body: ensuring that warnings are followed by concrete action.
For Delhi residents, the concern goes beyond statistics. With building-collapse incidents continuing to periodically make headlines, the effectiveness of the MCD’s safety exercise will ultimately be measured not by how many structures it surveys, but by whether dangerous buildings are repaired, vacated or secured before they become a threat to life.
