Satya Niketan Collapse: Five MCD Officials Suspended, High Court Orders Probe
Five MCD South Zone officials suspended after a PG building collapse near Delhi University killed seven. High Court orders inquiry.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has suspended five officials from its South Zone in connection with the collapse of a building in Satya Niketan that housed a boys' paying guest (PG) accommodation near Delhi University's South Campus. The incident, which occurred while repair work was underway, claimed seven lives.
The suspended officials are Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar, Superintending Engineer Ranveer Singh, Executive Engineer (Building) Lalit Kumar Goyal, Assistant Engineer (Building) Sunil Chauhan, and Junior Engineer (Building) Ashish Kumar. The action was taken on the direction of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
Notably, three of the suspended officials — Rakesh Kumar, Ranveer Singh, and Ashish Kumar — were also posted in the South Zone at the time of the Malviya Nagar fire. No disciplinary action was taken against them following that earlier incident.
The Delhi High Court has ordered a high-level inquiry into the collapse, describing the incident as "most unfortunate." The court has directed the MCD to determine whether the building possessed the necessary permissions and whether civic officials were negligent in their duties. It has also sought details of any action taken against those found responsible.
The court has broadened the scope of scrutiny beyond the building owners, pointing to the potential roles of the MCD and Delhi University. It has expressed concern over the state of student accommodation in the capital and has ordered authorities to examine the larger issue of housing for out-of-state students.
As part of the inquiry, the MCD has been instructed to inspect all PG accommodations and hostels within its jurisdiction to verify compliance with building bye-laws and required permissions. Executive Engineers have been tasked with submitting signed, comprehensive inspection reports to Building Headquarters by September 10, 2026. The data will be incorporated into an affidavit for the High Court, with the exercise personally monitored by the concerned Zonal Additional Commissioner.
Police are also investigating the repair work carried out in the building's basement and the possibility of water accumulation as a contributing factor to the collapse.