3 More Engineers Suspended For Negligence After Delhi Building Collapse

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has suspended three Building Department engineers over alleged dereliction of duty and negligence in dealing with unauthorised construction.

The suspension comes days after a paying guest accommodation collapsed in Delhi's Satya Niketan, killing seven people.

The three officials are from the civic body's South West Zone, earlier known as the Najafgarh Zone.

3 Engineers Suspended

According to orders issued by the civic body on Thursday, Ravinder Kumar, an Assistant Engineer in the Building Department, South West Zone, has been placed under suspension with immediate effect.

Two Junior Engineers, Suman Saurabh and Mohit Yadav, have also been suspended.

The civic body said the officials were suspended over dereliction of duty and negligence in dealing with unauthorised construction.

Five Officials Suspended Earlier

Five South Zone officials had earlier been suspended after the Satya Niketan building collapse.

This included the suspension of the Deputy Commissioner and four engineers, a day after the five-storey building housing a PG facility collapsed.

The September 6 collapse killed seven people and brought scrutiny on building safety, unauthorised construction and the role of civic officials responsible for enforcing building rules.

Satya Niketan Collapse

The building was being used as a student paying guest accommodation. It had reportedly undergone renovation work before the collapse.

The incident has since raised questions over the safety of paying guest accommodations and the enforcement of building rules in Delhi.

The civic body has, so far, surveyed 1,355 buildings being used as paying guest accommodations across the city, with around 27,000 student occupants.

The Delhi High Court is also hearing petitions seeking stronger regulation and safety measures for hostels and PG accommodations following the tragedy.

The Supreme Court has asked the Delhi High Court to continue monitoring the Satya Niketan case.

The civic body has said officials responsible for dealing with unauthorised construction are required to act in accordance with prescribed rules and procedures, and those found negligent in discharging their duties will face action.