Municipal Corporation ramps up enforcement after hostel collapse
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) intensified enforcement against unauthorised construction, dangerous buildings and breaches of building norms on Thursday, carrying out 41 demolition actions, sealing 61 properties, issuing 32 show-cause notices and passing three demolition orders across the capital's 12 zones, the civic body said.
The action follows a separate enforcement drive on Wednesday when the MCD said it demolished 46 properties and sealed another 20 for violations of the Master Plan of Delhi and building bye-laws. MCD officials said several additional properties have been identified for further enforcement.
Where the work took place
Officials said the drive covered multiple zones and specific neighbourhoods where unauthorised constructions and structural dangers were identified. Actions reported for selected areas included:
- East Zone: enforcement in Khureji Khas, Jagatpuri and Laxmi Nagar;
- West Zone: operations at Paschim Puri, Madipur, Subhash Nagar, Vipin Garden, Bakkarwala, Nangli Vihar and Nihal Vihar;
- Central Zone: action on a G+5 building in Madanpur Khadar Extension.
In several instances, demolition teams removed roof panels, cut slab panels on higher floors and demolished unauthorised additions such as toilet blocks built on terraces. At Paschim Puri in Madipur, roof panels on the first, second and third floors were taken down. In Subhash Nagar, a roof panel and a fourth-floor terrace toilet block were removed. At Som Bazar Road in Vipin Garden, Uttam Nagar, a ground-floor roof panel was demolished; a property near Aakash Vihar on Bakkarwala Road was completely demolished. In Nangli Vihar, teams removed a roof panel and two first-floor walls, while in Nihal Vihar, Nangloi, two slab panels on the fourth floor were cut down before sealing.
“The crackdown on unauthorised construction, misuse of properties and dangerous structures would continue in the coming days,” the civic body said.
Paying-guest survey highlights scale of informal housing
Alongside enforcement, the MCD conducted a large-scale survey of buildings being used for paying-guest (PG) accommodation. The survey identified about 1,355 buildings housing PG facilities, with an estimated 27,000 people living in them, the civic body reported. The database is intended to map PG accommodations across the city and is part of the MCD's measures to tackle unsafe structures and misuse of residential properties.
Civic officials said the database will inform targeted inspections and enforcement in areas where residential buildings are being sub-divided or altered to accommodate higher densities without appropriate safety measures. The MCD noted that many such changes involve structural interventions—such as cutting slabs or adding floor-level panels—that can compromise a building's integrity.
Implications for residents and property users
Authorities emphasised that enforcement is aimed at preventing further incidents and ensuring public safety, particularly in multi-storey buildings and clusters housing students and migrant workers who commonly use PG facilities. The MCD's actions seek to enforce compliance with the Master Plan of Delhi and building bye-laws, prevent unauthorised vertical additions and halt conversions that increase occupancy beyond sanctioned limits.
Officials warned that more properties have been flagged for action and that the civic body's crackdown will be sustained. In the near term, residents of neighbourhoods where enforcement has occurred should expect follow-up inspections, possible sealing orders and notices to property owners to remove unauthorised constructions or face legal action.
| Metric | Count |
|---|---|
| Demolition actions (Thursday) | 41 |
| Properties sealed (Thursday) | 61 |
| Show-cause notices | 32 |
| Demolition orders passed | 3 |
| PG buildings identified | 1,355 |
| People living in PGs (approx.) | 27,000 |
The MCD said the enforcement is part of a continuing campaign to curb unauthorised construction and to protect residents from hazardous structures. It did not provide a breakdown of the legal steps to be taken against owners of sealed properties or a timeline for reopening any premises that comply with regulations.
As the civic body proceeds with inspections and actions across more localities, residents and tenants are likely to face heightened scrutiny of building safety certifications, occupancy levels and structural alterations. The MCD has urged citizens to report suspected unauthorised construction and misuse of residential properties to facilitate swift action.
