Post-quake measure: NDMC Commissioner orders demolition drive

Keeping in mind Delhi's high seismicity, the North Delhi Municipal Commissioner today directed all six zones under NDMC to conduct special demolition drive against illegal structures in its areas on Saturdays, starting tomorrow.
North Delhi Municipal Commissioner Praveen Kumar Gupta directed Deputy Commissioners (DC) of all the zones to adopt a "zero-tolerance" approach and take strict action against unauthorised constructions and encroachments on public land.
"Delhi is a high-seismic zone and prone to high-intensity earthquakes. In that situation, it becomes very important to curb illegal constructions from safety point of view, specially in densely populated areas. The special demolition drive would be conducted on Saturdays," he said.

He added that the drive would be undertaken after conducting random survey by field engineers in all wards in the six zones -- Narela, Rohini, Civil Lines, Karol Bagh, Sadar Paharganj and City.
"The Commissioner suggested that ward-wise teams may be constituted for detection of unauthorised constructions so that action against the same may be taken at the ongoing stage and no such construction should be allowed to come up under any circumstances," he added.
The Commissioner further directed that the DCs should personally ensure that at least "five major demolition actions" should be taken in their respective zone in a month, the NDMC quoted him as saying in a statement.

On April 25, after the 7.9 Richter Scale earthquake hit Nepal, several aftershocks were felt in the national capital.

Experts have warned that if a quake of such high intensity originates in Delhi, it could spell doom for the city, where unauthorised constructions abound in several parts.
In consonance with the NDMC's direction, illegally constructed portions of properties, mostly commercial, Sukhlal Market, Pitampura Pepsi Rood, Himgiri Enclave, Majlis Park, Sanjay Nagar, Ram Pura, Malka Ganj, among others were demolished.
From January 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015, a total of 2,377 unauthorised constructions were booked, out of which demolition action was taken against 876 properties.

Out of 1,856 demolition actions during the ongoing stage of illegal construction, two properties were fully demolished while rest 1854 were partly demolished, it said.