MCD Suspends Three More Engineers Over Satya Niketan Building Collapse
Three Building Department engineers from the MCD's South West Zone have been suspended over alleged negligence, days after a Satya Niketan PG building collapse killed seven people.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has suspended three more engineers from its Building Department, acting on allegations of dereliction of duty and negligence in handling unauthorised construction. The action comes in the wake of a paying guest accommodation collapse in Delhi's Satya Niketan that claimed seven lives.
According to civic body orders issued on Thursday, Assistant Engineer Ravinder Kumar of the Building Department, South West Zone, has been placed under suspension with immediate effect. Two Junior Engineers, Suman Saurabh and Mohit Yadav, have also been suspended. The South West Zone was earlier known as the Najafgarh Zone.
The three suspensions follow earlier action against five officials of the South Zone. Those included the Deputy Commissioner and four engineers, who were suspended a day after the five-storey building housing the PG facility collapsed on September 6.
The building, used as student paying guest accommodation, had reportedly undergone renovation work before the collapse. The tragedy has sharpened scrutiny on building safety, unauthorised construction and the role of civic officials tasked with enforcing building rules in the capital.
Since the incident, the civic body has surveyed 1,355 buildings being used as paying guest accommodations across Delhi, housing around 27,000 student occupants. The Delhi High Court is hearing petitions seeking stronger regulation and safety measures for hostels and PG accommodations, and the Supreme Court has asked the High Court to continue monitoring the Satya Niketan case.
The civic body has stated that officials responsible for dealing with unauthorised construction must act in accordance with prescribed rules and procedures, and that those found negligent in discharging their duties will face action.