Delhi civic body demolishes 543 illegal structures in 17 days after PG building collapse
MCD tells Delhi High Court it acted against 543 properties after a paying guest building collapsed in Satya Niketan.
Days after a paying guest (PG) building collapsed in Delhi's Satya Niketan area, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) demolished 543 properties in just 17 days. This emerged from a compliance affidavit filed by the MCD in the Delhi High Court.
According to the affidavit, the MCD carried out this action against illegal construction between September 6 and September 23, 2026. During this period, 543 properties were demolished, 178 properties were sealed and 354 were served show-cause notices. In addition, during the same 17-day period, the civic body also issued 205 sealing show-cause notices and 98 demolition orders.
The affidavit was filed before the High Court on September 24 by MCD Executive Engineer (Building) Headquarters Ajay Kumar Jain. The High Court had directed the MCD on September 7 to examine the permission and sanction status of the building involved in the collapse, fix responsibility if violations were found, and get all PG hostels under its jurisdiction inspected. The affidavit was filed in compliance with that direction.
The affidavit also made a significant disclosure. The MCD said that Property No. 14 in Satya Niketan, the building that collapsed on September 6, never had a sanctioned building plan approved by the civic body.
According to the affidavit, the ground floor, first and second floors and part of the third floor of the building were constructed between 1970 and 1980. The basement and the remaining part of the third floor were built later, in 1997-98.
The MCD described the structure as a load-bearing building without an RCC frame, with brick walls only about 4.5 inches thick. The affidavit states clearly that the property was not built in accordance with any valid permission from the MCD.
