The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has ordered the demolition of an adjoining building at Property No. 13, Satya Niketan, following the deadly Satya Niketan building collapse that has claimed seven lives. The civic body cited the building’s “ruinous/dangerous condition” and warned that it could pose a serious safety risk to occupants and people living nearby.
The demolition order was issued on Sunday by the Executive Engineer (Building)-I, South Zone. It was issued under Section 348 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, along with Section 491 of the Act. The owner or occupier has been given three days to demolish the structure after receiving the order.
Satya Niketan building collapse: MCD Warns of Action Over Dangerous Building
The MCD has made it clear that failure to comply with the order could lead to direct action by the civic body. If the building is not demolished within the given time, the MCD will carry out the demolition itself. The cost of the work will then be recovered from the owner as arrears of tax. The move comes as rescue and stabilisation efforts continue at the Satya Niketan building collapse site.
The collapsed building, identified as P-14, Satya Niketan, was located in a rehabilitation colony. The property reportedly covered around 55 square yards.
Delhi Satya Niketan Building Had No Supporting Pillars
Officials have raised concerns over the construction of the adjoining building. According to the details shared, the structure was built using an old construction method. It reportedly does not have supporting pillars.
Instead, brick walls were directly joined together. This has raised concerns about the building’s stability and the possibility of a further collapse. A support system is currently being installed to strengthen the structure and reduce the risk.
There are also concerns about debris removal from the collapsed building. Officials and others at the site fear that removing debris could weaken the base and affect the stability of the adjoining structure.
Delhi Satya Niketan building collapse: Residents Evacuated Amid Rescue Operation
People living in the area have already been shifted. The rescue and stabilisation operation has been ongoing for over 15 hours now. Agencies like the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Service, Delhi Police, etc are taking part in the operation. NDRF sniffer dogs are also helping the rescue teams in finding any survivors trapped inside the debris. The retrieval of another corpse through late-night operations has brought the total number of deaths in the building collapse at Satya Niketan to seven.
Satya Niketan building collapse: Questions Raised Over Building Safety in Delhi
The whole matter has again raised concerns about the safety of old, unsafe buildings in Delhi. AAP leader Sanjeev Jha criticised the Delhi government and MCD for the building collapse. He asked whether authorities have done anything after making promises regarding the safety measures of buildings. While speaking to ANI, he said that building norms are being misused by people for extortion.
“If action were genuinely taken, why do these incidents keep happening?” Jha said.
The demolition order for the adjoining structure has now added another layer to the growing concerns over building safety in Satya Niketan.
Sudeep Singh Rawat is a Copy Editor at NewsX Digital with over five years of experience in digital journalism. He covers national and international news, with a focus on politics, crime, technology, public affairs, and trending topics. Before joining NewsX Digital, he worked with Business Standard, The Sunday Guardian, and other digital media organisations. His reporting focuses on breaking news, enterprise stories, and explainers that inform readers through accurate, balanced, and context-driven journalism.
