MCD demolishes 67 properties, seals 9 in 2 days after Satya Niketan PG collapse

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) demolished 67 properties and sealed nine others over two days as part of its ongoing crackdown on unauthorised construction following the Satya Niketan tragedy.

The civic body stepped up action on September 11 and 12, sealing the properties and taking other enforcement measures. It also issued show-cause notices to 35 properties and demolition orders for four properties over the past couple of days.

The action against property misuse and dangerous structures comes amid an intensified safety assessment drive after a five-storey building that housed a PG collapsed in Delhi's Satya Niketan area, killing at least seven people, most of them students.

HT had reported earlier this week that MCD officials were planning a large-scale survey of PG facilities in the cities and the number of occupants staying there. Following this, the civic body had on Tuesday this week carried out a large-scale demolition drive against unauthorised and unsafe buildings. 35 buildings were demolished across 12 MCD zones in the action, according to an earlier HT report.

Among these, a major demolition exercise was undertaken in Najafgarh, and action was also taken against another four-storey building in Shahdara North. Demolitions were also carried out in Rohini (6), Narela (3), Civil Lines (3), Shahdara North (6), among others. Nine sealing actions were also carried out, with two of them targeting large godowns in Karol Bagh. A hotel in West Zone was also sealed.

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Civic body's survey of PG buildings under safety assessment driver

The MCD had surveyed over 1,200 paying guest (PG) buildings this week as part of its safety assessment drive. Among the structures surveyed, at least three were found to be dangerous, while 39 required minor repairs and nine needed major repairs, officials said on Wednesday.

The civic body had also separately identified 26 framed structures above G+4 floors for close monitoring as they may be vulnerable. The survey had continued on Thursday.

MCD had stepped up action against unauthorised construction and misuse of premises after recent incidents in Saket and Malviya Nagar.

The civic body had, between June 1 and September 3, 2026, carried out demolition at 983 properties, sealed 464 properties, issued 1,516 show-cause notices for unauthorised construction and 708 sealing show-cause notices. It had issued 726 demolition orders.

MCD also conducted a three-month survey of residential areas to identify commercial misuse of residential premises, surveying around 300,000 properties across 404 colonies and 168 wards.