Delhi Building Collapse: High Court Declines Urgent Hearing on Plea Against Demolition of Adjoining Structure

New Delhi:  The Delhi High Court on Monday declined to urgently list a plea challenging the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) decision to demolish a building adjoining the Satya Niketan hostel, which collapsed last week.

The matter was mentioned before a bench comprising Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, with a lawyer seeking an urgent hearing over concerns surrounding the demolition.

The lawyer told the court that the authorities had proceeded with the demolition of the adjoining structure without first clearing the debris from the basement of the collapsed hostel. According to the submission, there were concerns that some people could still be trapped under the debris.

The court, however, questioned whether the authorities had conducted a structural audit before proceeding with the demolition. The bench observed that such an assessment should have been carried out and cautioned the lawyer against approaching the court without sufficient material.

The development comes amid concerns over rescue operations and the safety of structures surrounding the site of the Satya Niketan hostel collapse.