Delhi’s illegal construction problem |
Another building collapse in Delhi, another loss of precious lives and, once again, the familiar sequence of official responses. Hardly the memory of PG building in Satya Niketan had faded, where seven young college going students were killed in a building collapse, another three-storey building under construction in Old Delhi’s Chawri Bazaar collapsed on November 5, killing two people and leaving several others trapped under the debris. Rescue teams rushed to the spot, the Chief Minister visited the site and two engineers were suspended. But the question that Delhi must ask goes beyond this particular incident: Why do we repeatedly wake up only after people have died?
The tragedy comes at a time when the city is preparing for the festival season and restrictions under Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) are being imposed to deal with rising pollution. While the administration is busy responding to one crisis, another, equally serious problem continues to grow largely unchecked: illegal and unsafe construction.
Every time a building collapses, the response is almost predictable. An inquiry is ordered, officials are suspended, inspections are announced and strict action is promised against those responsible. For a few days, there is intense activity. Buildings are inspected, notices are issued, and some structures are sealed. Then the urgency disappears.
When the headlines change, public memory fades, and the machinery that was supposed to prevent the disaster returns to its routine. Until another building collapses. This is the most disturbing aspect of Delhi’s illegal construction problem. It is not that the authorities are unaware of the violations. It is that they have failed to stop them before they turn into tragedies.
One need look no further than Delhi’s neighbourhoods to see how they have changed over the years. Residential houses are converted into commercial establishments, garages become shops, additional floors come up, balconies and terraces are covered, and narrow lanes become even narrower because of encroachments.
In many areas, buildings are altered without considering whether their original foundations and structures can bear the additional load. Residential properties are........