New Delhi, Jun 9 (PTI) The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Tuesday demolished 16 properties and sealed 29 establishments as part of its ongoing crackdown against illegal constructions and buildings over bye-law violations, officials said.
The civic body also issued show-cause notices to 21 unauthorised constructions, 57 sealing show-cause notices, and 22 demolition orders during the day, they added.
The enforcement drive comes in the wake of a series of tragedies in the city, owing mainly to lapses in civic infrastructure, flouting of fire safety norms, and corruption.
The gravest of them occurred on June 3, when a fire tore through a five-storey hotel in Hauz Rani, killing 22 people, including a 16-year-old girl and foreign nationals from Nigeria, Kyrgyzstan, Bangladesh, Iraq, Congo, Mozambique and Liberia.
Officials said the civic body has carried out demolition action against 139 properties and sealed 199 more between June 1 and June 9.
During the same period, it issued 132 unauthorised construction show-cause notices, 121 sealing show-cause notices, and 64 demolition orders.
Officials said the drive is being carried out across the city to curb illegal constructions and ensure compliance with building regulations and safety norms, adding that strict action will continue against violators.
Meanwhile, during an inspection in South Delhi to review fire safety preparedness, South Zone Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar said the exercise was aimed at identifying vulnerable establishments, particularly ground-floor eateries and other premises susceptible to fire hazards.
“As a precautionary measure, we are inspecting vulnerable establishments, especially those on the ground floor and eateries where fire risks exist. The exercise will not be a pick-and-choose operation but will be carried out uniformly,” Kumar said.
He said establishments found violating norms would be given a 48-hour notice and that the civic body would first hold meetings with stakeholders to explain the purpose of the exercise and encourage compliance before initiating further action.
The civic body also said a survey is underway to identify illegal commercial and residential constructions across all zones, warning that strict action will continue under the Master Plan-2021, Unified Building Bye-Laws-2016, and the DMC Act-1957. PTI MSJ VBH KSI KSI
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