Supreme Court Slams Delhi Civic Bodies for 'Face-Saving' on Illegal Buildings
The Supreme Court on Thursday strongly criticised municipal authorities in Delhi-NCR for failing to check illegal and unsafe constructions, stating that only 'face-saving exercises' are being undertaken. A bench of Justice A Amanullah and Justice R Mahadevan expressed particular concern over non-compliance with its earlier directions.
The court directed the formation of a team comprising two senior professors from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), two draftsmen, and officials from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The team is tasked with assessing the extent of unauthorised constructions in Saket, Lajpat Nagar, and Malviya Nagar, and submitting a report to the court.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General S D Sanjay, representing the MCD, was told that the bench was 'particularly concerned with the conduct of the corporation with regard to non-compliance of directions.' The court made it clear that there should be 'no slackness in giving an honest report' and directed officials to appear on the next hearing date, August 4.
The apex court's remarks come amid growing concerns over building safety in the national capital region, following several incidents of structural collapses. The court has been monitoring the issue of illegal constructions and has previously issued multiple directives to curb the practice.
