Delhi building collapse: Magisterial inquiry ordered, FIR against owner

The Delhi government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the Satya Niketan building collapse that killed five people. An FIR has been registered against the owner for allegedly carrying out illegal renovation work that led to the incident.

Rescue operations underway at the site of a building collapse at Satya Niketan in South-West Delhi (Photo/ANI)

The Delhi government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the collapse of a building in Satya Niketan and directed that an FIR be registered against the building owner, the Chief Minister’s Office said on Saturday.

The decision was taken following an on-site review and a preliminary assessment of the incident, according to the Delhi CMO. The office said those found responsible for the “grave incident” would be held fully accountable and dealt with under the strictest provisions of law.

Legal Action and Casualty Update

The death toll has risen to five in the Satya Niketan building collapse incident so far, while Delhi Police has registered an FIR against alleged owner Hariram and others in connection with the incident. Ten people have been rescued so far, police said. Delhi Police said, "An FIR has been registered under BNS at PS South Campus against the alleged owner Hariram and others. The building was a PG. It is alleged that renovation work was being undertaken on the Ground Floor, which led to the collapse of the building. Multiple teams have been formed to trace the alleged persons."

Expert Links Collapse to Illegal Construction Trend

Atul Garg, former Director of the Delhi Fire Services, said several buildings in Delhi that were originally constructed for residential purposes were being used commercially. Garg referred to recent incidents in Saket, Malviya Nagar and Palam while discussing the Satya Niketan collapse. He said many buildings in Satya Niketan were very old and raised questions over the construction and structural stability of such buildings.

According to Garg, the building that collapsed was originally a ground-plus-one structure but was later converted into a three- or four-floor building. He said the building plans had not been approved and that its structural stability or strength was not known.

"As you saw, a building collapsed in Saket, there was a fire in Malviya Nagar, and there was a fire in Palam. These are all buildings that were built for residential purposes but are being used commercially. There are many buildings in Satya Niketan that are very old. This building was originally ground-plus-one, and later it was made into three or four floors," he added.

Rain and Renovation Work Cited as Triggers

Discussing possible reasons behind the collapse, the former Delhi Fire Services director said there were generally two major factors that could lead to the collapse of an old building — heavy rain or construction work being carried out in the structure.

He said both factors were present in the case of the building that collapsed in Satya Niketan. According to him, the area had experienced heavy rain the previous night, and reports indicated that some work was also underway at the building.

Garg said the combination of the two factors meant that the chances of the building collapsing were “very high”, describing the incident as a tragic one.

Rescue Operations Continue

Rescue operations are continuing at the site, with teams of Delhi Police, NDRF (National Disaster Response Force), Delhi Fire Service and other agencies engaged in search and rescue efforts. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)