Sabzi Mandi building collapse: Fresh North MCD survey identifies 18 ‘high risk’ structures in Malkaganj municipal ward

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation has identified at least 18 high-risk structures in Malkaganj municipal ward where a four-storey building collapsed last week, killing two children. The officials said they identified the buildings in a new survey soon after the incident.

Officials said the identified are at least 50-60 years old. “After a fresh survey, we identified around 18 buildings that either needed to be demolished or required major retrofitting for providing structural stability. Two of the buildings have already been vacated for demolition, and a portion of another one has already been demolished,” said a senior corporation official, who asked not to be named.

Two children were passing by a building on the main road of the Old Sabzi Mandi area last Monday when its front portion collapsed, burying them under debris. The building that collapsed was not on the list of “dangerous” buildings identified during the pre-monsoon survey by the civic body.

Most of these buildings, being old structures, are vacant or are disputed properties, the North DMC said. “Notices have been issued to the house owners of all these properties under relevant sections of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957. Also, awareness drives are being carried out to tell people about the importance of structural safety,” the official said.

The pre-monsoon survey conducted by the civic body during May-June to detect such structures across its six zones identified 699 properties as “dangerous” while 444 others were identified for necessary repairs, said officials. The building that collapsed came under Civil Lines Zone.

The pre-monsoon survey showed that Civil Lines Zone has 89 “dangerous” properties; municipal ward number 13 (Malkaganj ward, where the incident took place) has 20 “dangerous” structures--the fresh survey this week identified 18 more. Of the 20 buildings identified in the pre-monsoon survey, nine are on the same stretch where the four-storey building collapsed.

The civic body had ordered an inquiry into the building collapse incident, a report on which is yet to be submitted, the official added.