The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has received structural safety certificates from around 250 of the 2,457 paying guest (PG) accommodations surveyed across its 12 zones, with officials saying the compliance exercise is now gathering pace.
The civic body is planning to initially issue verbal reminders to PG owners who have not submitted the certificates, followed by notices for sealing their premises if they fail to comply, officials said on Monday.
The exercise was initiated following the collapse of a PG accommodation in Satya Niketan in September, which claimed seven lives and left six others critically injured. The Delhi High Court had subsequently directed the MCD to inspect PG accommodations under its jurisdiction and examine their structural safety and compliance with building norms.
As part of the exercise, the civic body had surveyed 2,457 PG establishments and asked their owners to get fresh structural safety audits conducted through engineers empanelled with the MCD and submit the certificates.
“Initially, the response was slow, but the process has started picking up pace. We have received certificates from around 250 establishments so far,” an official said.
The official said the corporation would first reach out to establishments that had failed to submit the required documents and give them an opportunity to comply.
“Those who still fail to submit the certificates will be issued formal notices, and further action, including sealing, will be initiated against the defaulting establishments as per rules,” the official said. The structural audits are intended to assess the stability and load-bearing capacity of buildings and identify potential defects that may not be apparent during routine visual inspections.
The MCD does not have an in-house mechanism to conduct such technical assessments and has asked PG owners to engage structural engineers empanelled with the civic body for the purpose, officials said.
The high court’s directions came after the September 6 collapse at Satya Niketan, where seven people were killed and six others critically injured.
The court had asked the civic body to examine whether PG accommodations had valid construction permissions, adhered to building bylaws and possessed the requisite safety and statutory clearances.
Under Section 348 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, municipal authorities are empowered to inspect buildings considered dangerous or ruinous and take necessary steps, including repairs or demolition, to address safety concerns.