Chandni Chowk Nagrik Manch General Secretary Praveen Shankar Kapoor wrote to Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi and Municipal Commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar, drawing their attention to the alleged negligence by the civic body officials in identifying dangerous buildings and taking action against them after conducting a pre-monsoon survey.
Kapoor sought strict action against the negligent officials, stating that based on the information received the MCD officials claimed to have surveyed over 2.7 million properties before the rains. Finding only 19 dangerous buildings clearly reflects criminal negligence.
He said it was surprising and uncalled for that municipal officials found only four dangerous properties in Old Delhi, the City Sadar Zone.
The Chandni Chowk Nagrik Manch general secretary demanded that the Mayor and Municipal Commissioner re-establish the Dangerous Buildings Department in the civic body and make the survey of dangerous buildings a proper exercise.
He said that if the Mayor and Municipal Commissioner accompany him, he can show five dangerous buildings on two major roads—Church Mission Road and Khari Baoli—in the City Zone area alone.
Kapoor further stated that in areas such as Chandni Chowk, Ballimaran, Sitaram Bazaar, Chandni Mahal, Jama Masjid and Nabi Karim wards of the City Zone, around 150 to 200 dangerous buildings are still occupied by people, and action against them is necessary.
He added that in these six wards alone, at least 25 buildings can be identified as so dangerous that they may collapse during heavy rains this monsoon itself.
He further said that this gives an idea of the situation in zones like Karol Bagh, City Sadar, Shahdara North & South, and other places in the national capital, where a proper survey could reveal more than 1,000 dangerous buildings.