MCD orders sealing of illegal buildings above four floors after Satya Niketan PG collapse

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has ordered the immediate sealing of all illegal constructions exceeding four floors following the collapse of a building near Satya Niketan in South-West Delhi, which claimed six lives.

Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi said strict action would be taken against officials found responsible for allowing such illegal structures to come up. Officials found guilty will face stringent action, including immediate dismissal, he said in a post on X.

“The culprits of the Satya Niketan building incident in Delhi will not be spared under any circumstances,” Wahi said, adding that the orders would be implemented with immediate effect.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the AIIMS Trauma Centre and met doctors and health officials to take stock of the condition of those rescued from the collapsed building. Gupta assured that strict action would be taken against those found responsible for the incident.

"No one will be spared," the chief minister said.

Meanwhile, members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a major protest outside the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) headquarters at the Civic Centre, raising concerns over the safety of students living in the area.

ABVP activists accused the civic body of negligence and alleged lapses in safety compliance at paying guest (PG) accommodations in student-dominated parts of Delhi. Protesters entered the MCD premises and staged a dharna, demanding immediate and concrete administrative action to ensure the safety of students.

CONSTRUCTION WAS UNDERWAY

Police said construction work was underway in the basement of the building when it collapsed at around 1.30 pm on Sunday. A PCR call was received at the South Campus police station at 1.34 pm regarding the collapse of a building near Nanakpura Gurdwara.

In a statement, police said the exact number of people trapped or injured was initially not known and that further details would be shared after confirmation.

Police said they had identified the owner of the building and formed teams to trace him. An FIR was subsequently registered against Hariram Bansal, a resident of Gurugram, and others.

The building was being used as a PG accommodation, according to local authorities. Satya Niketan, located near Delhi University's South Campus, has several buildings operating as student PG accommodations, hostels and eateries, making it a busy residential and commercial area frequented by students.

The collapse occurred as Delhi-NCR has been witnessing heavy rainfall since Friday, adding to the difficult conditions at the rescue site. Search and rescue operations continued as teams worked to ascertain whether more people remained trapped under the debris.