New Delhi: A reported building tilt in South Delhi’s Madangir area sent officials rushing to the spot, only to realise that it was far from a structural emergency.
A Fire Department team was dispatched after Delhi Police received a call about a building allegedly tilting in the area. However, officials found no signs of a building collapse or any such danger at the site, News18 reported.
It was after this that the police informed the team that the man who had made the call was under the influence of alcohol.
This comes just weeks after a four-storied building in Delhi’s Gandhi Nagar area reportedly developed a sudden tilt, prompting police to evacuate the structure and cordon off the area.
A team from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) later inspected the building and assessed its condition. The incident had raised fresh concerns over the safety of old and vulnerable structures in densely populated parts of the capital, particularly after the September 6 collapse of a five-storied boys’ hostel in Satya Niketan, killed seven people, including five students.
The collapse at Satya Niketan also brought renewed attention to safety standards in Delhi’s paying guest (PG) accommodations and other residential buildings. An MCD survey of 2,453 PG accommodations found that only 31 had a Delhi Fire Service NOC, while just eight had a structural stability certificate. The findings highlighted gaps in fire and structural safety compliance across several establishments.
With Delhi witnessing frequent construction activity and a large number of old or unauthorised structures, officials have faced continued pressure to identify buildings that may pose safety risks and take preventive action before accidents occur.
Experts have also said that the older structures in Delhi lack proper foundations.
