NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has expressed serious concerns over unauthorized constructions in Delhi-NCR, particularly following recent fire incidents in Delhi and Lucknow. The Court admonished civic bodies, stating that top officials could be held personally accountable for failing to follow its directives.
A bench comprised of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R Mahadevan requested the personal appearance of officials from the Municipal Corporations of Delhi, Gurugram, and Lucknow. The bench noted their non-compliance with directives issued over time.
The Supreme Court was dissatisfied with inaction regarding its May 20 directives concerning the sealing, demolition, and other legal actions against unauthorized structures.
The Court emphasized that no laxity from civic authorities would be accepted and acknowledged status reports filed by senior advocate Ajit Sinha, appointed as amicus curiae for matters related to fire safety strategies in Delhi and Lucknow.
Warning of potential contempt actions against non-compliant civic bodies, the Court took note of two significant fire incidents: the first on June 3 in Malviya Nagar, Delhi, which occurred in a congested multi-storey building causing 23 fatalities, predominantly foreign nationals from regions including Nigeria and Afghanistan, with over 50 rescues; and the second on June 22 in Aliganj, Lucknow, resulting in 15 deaths, mainly young students aged 16 to 25.
The bench underscored its discontent with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s failure to align with directives issued in 2024 and on May 20, urging immediate action to demolish unauthorized constructions in congested regions.
Additional Solicitor General SD Sanjay, representing the MCD, reported some progress, promising a detailed report by the next hearing on August 4. However, the bench expressed dissatisfaction with this response, stating serious repercussions would ensue for top officials if effective measures were not implemented.
Sinha indicated that the demolition of unauthorized constructions violating building codes was expected to occur within two weeks, yet noted that only notices had been issued so far without further action.
The bench declared its dissatisfaction with MCD’s bona fide intentions, offering one last opportunity for compliance before taking definitive action. Citing reports that 93% of buildings in Gurugram fail to meet fire safety regulations, it called for the head of the Gurgaon civic body to attend the next hearing and provide a comprehensive update on actions taken.
Previously, Sinha sought various directives from the Supreme Court to address the unauthorized constructions issue, and during a March 25 hearing, the bench raised alarms over widespread violations of building regulations.
Sinha’s status report on June 4 highlighted the urgent need for intervention to address ongoing illegal constructions and regulatory failures.
