New Delhi:
Three MCD officials who were posted in Delhi’s South Zone at the time of the Malviya Nagar fire, which killed 23 people, are now among five officials suspended following the Satya Niketan building collapse that killed seven.
The three officials are Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar, Superintending Engineer Ranveer Singh and Junior Engineer Ashish Kumar. All three were posted in the South Zone when the Malviya Nagar fire took place on June 3. No action was taken against them at that time.
They have now been suspended following the September 6 collapse in Satya Niketan, along with Executive Engineer (Building) Lalit Kumar Goyal and Assistant Engineer (Building) Sunil Chauhan.
What The Malviya Nagar Inquiry Found
A magisterial inquiry into the Malviya Nagar fire found lapses across several departments, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
The building had been booked twice for unauthorised construction. Police had been directed to stop the work, while BSES had been asked to disconnect electricity to the unauthorised portions. The property nevertheless remained operational.
The inquiry also found that the building’s health trade licence had been renewed on June 2, a day before the fire, after the application had remained pending for nearly five months. The report recommended disciplinary and consequential action against officials found responsible.
Satya Niketan Collapse Three Months Later
On September 6, a five-storey building housing a boys’ PG in Satya Niketan collapsed while repair work was under way. Seven people were killed.
Police are examining the repair work carried out in the basement and possible water accumulation. Preliminary information indicates that a pillar became weak during the repairs, affecting the structure.
The building was also found to have several violations. An MCD assessment found no sanctioned building plan, unauthorised basement construction, no Fire NOC and a fifth floor that was not permitted under applicable rules.
Residents had reported cracks, dampness and water accumulation. The building, however, was not among those identified as dangerous before the collapse.
Five Officials Suspended After The Collapse
The MCD suspended five officials from its South Zone following the collapse: Rakesh Kumar, Ranveer Singh, Lalit Kumar Goyal, Sunil Chauhan and Ashish Kumar.
Three of them, Rakesh Kumar, Ranveer Singh and Ashish Kumar, were also posted in the South Zone in key positions at the time of the Malviya Nagar fire.
The Delhi High Court has ordered a high-level inquiry into the Satya Niketan collapse and asked the MCD to examine whether the building had the required permissions and whether there were lapses by civic officials.
The court has also directed the MCD to inspect PG accommodations and hostels in the city, check their permissions and verify compliance with building bye-laws. Executive Engineers have been asked to inspect buildings in their respective zones and submit reports by September 10.
How Is Accountability Being Fixed?
On June 3, 23 people died in the Malviya Nagar fire. Three months later, on September 6, seven people died in the Satya Niketan collapse.
Three MCD officials were posted in the South Zone at the time of both incidents. No action was taken against them after the Malviya Nagar fire. Following the Satya Niketan collapse, all three were suspended along with two other MCD officials. Inquiries into both incidents are ongoing.
With two deadly incidents, three officials who were in key South Zone positions during both periods, and five suspensions after the second tragedy, the question now is: How is accountability being fixed?
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