New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday came down heavily on civic authorities across several states over the continued existence of illegal and unsafe buildings, remarking that their actions amounted to “only face-saving exercises” while repeated tragedies claimed innocent lives, according to a TOI report.
Hearing a matter concerning unauthorised constructions, a bench observed that despite fatal incidents such as building collapses and fire accidents in Delhi-NCR, Lucknow and other cities, authorities had failed to take meaningful preventive action. The court said there appeared to be little accountability, with officials merely reacting after disasters struck.
Expressing concern over recurring incidents, the apex court directed the formation of special teams to conduct comprehensive surveys of illegal and structurally unsafe buildings. It instructed municipal bodies and state authorities to identify dangerous structures and initiate immediate action, including demolition or closure wherever necessary to protect public safety.
The bench stressed that there should be “no slackness” in carrying out the exercise and sought detailed compliance reports from the authorities on the steps taken. It underscored that the rule of law must prevail and that officials responsible for allowing illegal constructions to flourish cannot escape accountability.
The court’s observations came against the backdrop of recent building collapses and fire incidents that have exposed serious lapses in enforcement of building norms and safety regulations. It noted that periodic drives launched after such incidents were largely cosmetic and failed to address the root problem of unauthorised construction.
The matter will be taken up again after the concerned authorities submit reports detailing the survey findings and the action initiated against illegal and unsafe structures.
