New Delhi, October 7: At least five buildings have been found "dangerous" in Keshavpuram Zone of north corporation in a fresh survey undertaken by the civic body in the wake of collapse of a five-storeyed building in north-west Delhi, municipal authorities said Sunday. Seven people were killed and five injured in the incident that occurred in the Sawan Park area that falls under the Keshavpuram Zone of the BJP-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC). According to information shared by the Engineering Department of the municipal body, in written response to a question from an NDMC House member, "As per the fresh survey, there are 1,17,541 buildings in the zone, out of which five were found dangerous". Noida Building Collapse: One Killed, 6 Injured as Shuttering of Under-Construction Building Collapses in Sector 94.
The issue was to come up for discussion on October 3 in the municipal House, but couldn't as the proceedings were rocked due to a heated debate between members of the treasury and opposition benches over the issue of diphtheria deaths in the national capital.
Incidentally, in the reply, the department has likened the collapse case to that of a "natural disaster" drawing sharp reaction from the Congress. "What is a natural disaster, earthquake or flood or some other incident that cannot be under the control of man. How is the collapse incident a natural disaster, I want to ask the BJP-ruled NDMC. Instead of taking responsibility, they blame it one nature, it is funny," senior Congress leader Mukesh Goel said. On July 21: One Dead, Three Injured After Under Construction Building Collapses in Sector 63.
The incident had taken place on September 26. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, BJP Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari and north Delhi Mayor Adesh Gupta had visited the accident site in Ashok Vihar. The mayor had ordered an inquiry into the case while the NDMC had ordered for conducting a fresh survey of buildings in north Delhi.The NDMC had discontinued the contract of an engineer while suspended two others in connection with the case.
In the survey conducted from April-June this year by the civic authorities, "no buildings" were reported as dangerous. After the fresh survey, notices have been served to the owners/occupiers of the five buildings identified as dangerous in the Keshavpuram Zone, according to the written reply. Fresh data on the resurvey of buildings in other zones of the NDMC were not immediately available. Greater Noida Building Collapse: UP CM Office Pulls Up Administration; Asks For Report At The Earliest.
According to the last survey conducted by the NDMC, 181 buildings were found dangerous as on September 21. "The exercise must be completed within one week's time and the required action should be taken as per the provisions of the DMC Act for the identified dangerous properties," the order issued on the fresh survey had said.