Ranit Kr. Singh , New Delhi — The recent collapse of a building in Saidulajab that killed six people has underscored Delhi’s ongoing struggle with structural safety and non-compliance with building norms. Despite years of judicial monitoring by the Delhi High Court and explicit warnings regarding the city's vulnerability in Seismic Zone IV, millions of residents continue to live in unchecked structures. A major gap persists between identifying dangerous properties and executing the actual ground-level retrofitting—modifying existing structures to make them more resistant to seismic activity—needed to prevent a major catastrophe.

According to the latest action-taken report by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), out of 4,762 high-risk and old structures identified across the city, notices were issued to 4,571 properties. However, structural audit reports were received for only 1,155 cases, leading to just 56 demolitions and a mere 47 instances of retrofitting. Petitioner Arpit Bhargava criticized civic agencies before the high court for failing to meet deadlines set in 2020, pointing out that a severe shortage of empanelled structural engineers and a lack of administrative accountability continue to delay progress.

The structural safety challenge is heavily magnified by the sheer volume of unauthorized construction spanning older neighborhoods and illegal colonies. Officials note that the court-monitored exercise primarily covers legally constructed buildings, leaving the safety of millions of illegal structures unaddressed. With an estimated 5 million buildings in Delhi—and past committee findings indicating that 70% to 80% violate building regulations—MCD authorities are now considering prioritizing high-occupancy structures, including government buildings, high-rises, schools, and hospitals, to maximize immediate public safety.