Clean chit to officials in building collapse case

Te East Delhi Municipal Corporation has given a clean chit to its officials in the last week building collapse case in Gandhi Nagar.

Three people lost their life and two were injured when a portion of two illegally constructed floors of a five-storey building in Gandhi Nagar collapsed on August 30.

The report of an inquiry conducted by Alka Sharma, deputy commissioner, Sahadra (South) found no lacunae on part of the corporation officials.

“According to the report, no unauthorised construction was going on in the building. A portion of the building was being repaired. As per the building bylaws, no prior permission is required to conduct repair work in a building,” S S Yadav, EDMC commissioner said.

The officer added that a portion of the building collapsed as the roof could not bear the weight of the building material kept on the building.

“Some amount of building material was kept on the fourth floor along with items like generator and water tanks. Perhaps the roof could not bear the burden of the goods, especially after the rains which must have added to the weight of the material,” Yadav added.

The commissioner said the building was constructed prior to 2007 – the cut-off year before which all constructions are protected under the Delhi Laws Special Protection Act.

However, the corporation officers have sealed the building as three floors of the residential building were used for commercial activity.

Report questioning

However, the opposition leaders in the corporation have questioned the status report.
“Can construction of a new roof on the top of a building be considered as repair work?

Iron bars and material used in sanitary work are still lying there. The report is just an eyewash,” Varyam Kaur, leader of opposition in east corporation said. 

“The city government has also ordered a probe and deputy commissioner (Revenue) is conducting an inquiry.

I am confident that the corporation officials would be exposed in the incident,” she added.