MCD has ordered more than 2,400 Delhi PG accommodations to obtain structural safety certificates within 15 days. The drive follows a fatal Satya Niketan collapse and may lead to evacuations or sealing.
Stock photo used for illustration
Newdelhi,Oct 14, 2026 20:58 IST
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has directed more than 2,400 paying guest (PG) accommodations to obtain structural safety certificates within 15 days. The order follows a Delhi High Court-directed survey after a building collapse in Satya Niketan killed seven people, including five students.
Officials said PG owners and operators must get their premises assessed by private structural engineers authorised by the MCD. Properties that fail to comply could be vacated and sealed, while four buildings identified as visibly dangerous have already been issued evacuation notices.
The civic body has asked the building departments in all 12 zones to begin the process. A senior MCD official said safety certificates were necessary as approved building plans were unavailable for many of the properties.
“Four buildings were found to be visibly dangerous, and evacuation notices have been issued for all of them. Since approved building plans are unavailable for most of these properties, we have asked the owners to obtain structural safety certificates. At least baseline safety arrangements must be ensured, and the owners have been given 15 days to complete the exercise,” the official said.
The certificates will establish whether the buildings are structurally safe. The assessments will also determine whether they can withstand pressure, including that caused by an earthquake, officials said.
Explaining the difference between identifying an immediately dangerous building and carrying out a detailed structural assessment, a civic official said visual inspections could flag structures that appeared close to collapse but could not establish their overall safety.
“If a building appears tilted, severely damaged or dangerous to passers-by, it can be identified for immediate intervention, including securing the premises, repairs or demolition, as warranted. But a visual inspection alone cannot establish whether a building can withstand an earthquake. That requires a proper structural assessment, including an examination of its beams and columns,” the official said.
The MCD has asked PG owners to hire engineers from its authorised list available on the civic body's portal. Private structural engineers will conduct the assessments, and officials said the 15-day deadline could be extended if required to complete the exercise.
According to the MCD's submission before the Delhi High Court on September 25, the survey covered 2,453 PG accommodations with more than 50,000 residents and over 32,000 rooms. The civic body told the court that it could trace building plans for only about 30 per cent of the properties.
The High Court was hearing a batch of public interest litigations raising concerns about the regulation and safety of PG accommodations used by university students in the capital.
Civil Lines, which includes Delhi University's North Campus, had the highest number of PG accommodations at 608, followed by Keshavpuram with 410, the South zone with 390 and Karol Bagh with 365. Satya Niketan, which has several PG accommodations for students of Delhi University's South Campus, had 101 such properties.
The MCD's action requires PG owners across Delhi to secure structural safety certificates, while the four buildings found visibly dangerous face evacuation and further action.
- Ends