Five floors, visible cracks, no proper exit: Safety lapses come to fore after PG building collapses in Delhi's Satya Niketan
PTC News Desk: The death toll in Satya Niketan PG building collapse rose to six on Monday after one more body was recovered from the rubbles. Meanwhile the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has flagged safety concerns following the tragedy with unauthorised construction, additional floors, and the safety of an adjoining structure under scrutiny.
According to MCD details, the collapsed property was identified as P-14, Satya Niketan, located in a rehabilitation colony and spread across approximately 55 square yards.
The property had a basement, a ground floor and four upper floors. It is believed to have been built in the 1990s.
A senior MCD official, quoted by news agency PTI, said the nearly 30-year-old building was a ground-plus-four (G 4) structure. However, the original permission for the resettlement colony was only for a ground-plus-one (G 1) building.
The building was being used as a boys’ hostel and also provided paying-guest accommodation for students.
The collapse has raised questions about the building’s structural safety and possible unauthorised construction. Concerns have also been raised about a nearby five-storey building, which was reportedly constructed by combining shop numbers 13 and 14. The building has been evacuated as a safety measure, and the MCD has issued a notice warning that it could pose a serious danger.
According to the MCD notice, Building/House No. 13 in Satya Niketan, New Delhi, was in a damaged and dangerous condition. It was considered a threat to people living in or using the building, those passing nearby and residents in the surrounding area.
Under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, the MCD ordered that the building be demolished within three days of receiving the notice.
Officials said the adjoining building was constructed using an old method in which brick walls were directly connected without supporting pillars. They warned that the structure could collapse at any time.
A support system was being put in place to strengthen and stabilise the building.
- PTC NEWS
