MCD intensifies demolition, sealing drive against illegal constructions

New Delhi: Action by the MCD against illegal and unsafe buildings across Delhi persisted on Friday, as demolition and sealing actions were conducted in several areas, officials said.

Among many, demolition began at an illegal fourth floor of a building in Adarsh Nagar, while sealing operations took place on Kalyan Marg in Mandawali Fazalpur, officials added.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) body also continued the controlled demolition of a building adjacent to the structure that recently collapsed in Satya Niketan, resulting in the deaths of seven people. Demolition efforts have been ongoing in various parts of the MCD’s South Zone as well.

The enforcement drive, which began on September 7 following the Satya Niketan collapse, targets dangerous buildings, unauthorised construction and violations of building norms across Delhi.

Officials noted that progress at several locations has been slow due to the unavailability of police personnel, who are currently occupied with duties related to the BRICS Summit 2026; however, actions are expected to accelerate in the coming days.

As of September 10, the MCD carried out 1,053 demolition actions since June 1 and sealed 491 properties. They also issued 1,575 show-cause notices for unauthorised construction, 741 sealing show-cause notices, and 757 demolition orders throughout the city.

Meanwhile a Delhi court has dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of an accused in the Satya Niketan building collapse case, in which seven people died. Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Partap Laler heard the pre-arrest bail plea filed by Shubham Tyagi, who allegedly co-running a paying guest (PG) facility in the building that collapsed on September 6. The judge rejected the plea considering the totality of the circumstances — the deaths in the incident, Tyagi’s rent agreement for the second and third floors that was “suppressed” in the plea seeking the relief and the “contemporaneous and mirrored lease in favour of co-accused Sudhanshu, with each signing as witness on the other’s deed”.