New Delhi, Sep 07: Delhi Police has intensified the investigation into the five-storey PG (Paying Guest) building collapse that occurred yesterday in Delhi’s Satya Niketan.
The death toll in the tragedy has risen to 7, with 12 people rescued so far.
Meanwhile, the police have issued a ‘Lookout Notice’ (LOC) against the absconding building owner Hariram Bansal, and airports have been put on high alert to prevent him from fleeing the country.
A case has been registered in the case under charges of culpable negligence causing death, negligence in building maintenance and endangering the safety of others, and the police are searching for the owner of the building.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court today agreed to hear a public interest litigation related to the building collapse.
The petition was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Tejas Kariya.
The building near the South Campus of Delhi University collapsed at around 1.30 pm on Sunday.
The incident is said to have taken place while repair and renovation work was going on on the ground floor. The building, locally known as ‘Hostel Days’, was used as a boys’ PG for students of colleges in the South Campus.
Meanwhile, various teams including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Brigade, Delhi Disaster Management Authority and police continued the search for those trapped under the debris on Monday.
At least 12 people have been rescued so far and the possibility of someone else being trapped under the debris cannot be ruled out, officials said. Meanwhile, there is a suspicion that another labourer is also trapped under the debris.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has visited the site and inspected it. About 80% of the debris has been removed and the operation is continuing on the ground floor, she said.
The adjacent building has also been vacated as it was found to be dangerous, and the adjacent building will be demolished after the debris of the collapsed building is cleared.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has instructed officials to inspect the surrounding PG accommodation and other buildings.
The Delhi government is preparing a policy that will make it mandatory to conduct regular structural safety inspections and obtain safety certificates for public buildings including PGs, nursing homes, and schools.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Municipal Corporation has ordered the immediate sealing of illegal buildings above four floors. It has also been said that action will be taken against the officials responsible for negligence.
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that the unstable condition of the adjacent building is hampering the rescue operation. He said that the adjacent building, which is about 40 to 50 years old, has been vacated.
The NDRF team is working to ensure that the adjacent building is not damaged further while clearing the debris, Sirsa said.
The building collapse has also disrupted traffic around Satya Niketan. The Delhi Traffic Police has asked motorists to avoid roads connecting Safdarjung Hospital to Dhaula Kuan, RTR and Benito Juarez routes.
People have been requested not to gather near the site to allow the movement of ambulances and rescue vehicles.
The incident has once again raised questions about the safety of old buildings in Satya Niketan, adjacent to the South Campus of Delhi University. Residential buildings in this densely populated area have been converted into PGs and private hostels for many years.