Supreme Court seeks action reports, summons senior Municipal Corporation of Delhi officials to Court

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has directed senior officials of municipal corporations and development authorities in Delhi, Gurugram, Lucknow, Patna and Tamil Nadu to submit status reports on action taken against illegal and unsafe buildings posing serious safety risks.

A Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan, taking note of recent building collapse and fire incidents in Delhi and Lucknow, directed the authorities to report compliance with its May 20 order and appear in person before the Court on August 4.

The Court ordered the constitution of a special team comprising two IIT Delhi professors, two draftsmen and officials of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to conduct a time-bound survey of Saket, Malviya Nagar and Lajpat Nagar. A similar survey will be conducted in Sarojini Nagar under the NDMC.

The Bench stressed that the committee must submit an honest report and warned that it could appoint a court-monitored team if there were doubts about the report's credibility.

The Court criticised authorities for taking a "face-saving approach" by arresting only builders after building collapses and fire incidents while failing to act against officials responsible for permitting illegal constructions. It directed authorities to identify the senior officials accountable for such failures. (ANI)

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