Dwarka: About 100 Cooperative Group Housing Societies to undergo safety audits

Dwarka: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has issued notices to about 100 societies (Cooperative Group Housing Societies) of Dwarka for structural safety audit in a “stipulated time-frame” saying that non-compliance would lead to penalty.

“Visibly vulnerable old buildings require seismic structure stability. About 100 housing societies including commercial complexes have been served notices. The owners and occupants need to get a structural safety audit of their properties by any empanelled structure safety engineer or any premier/ recognised establishments. If the report declares a structure safe, one will need to submit the same with the reply within the stipulated time frame. It is mandatory for an older high rise structure,” said an MCD official.

MCD has also said that the electricity and water connections could be cut if the societies would not go for structural safety audit in the given time frame. Structural safety audit is mandatory to check their seismic structure stability.

Delhi-NCR has been identified as the second highest seismic hazard zone (Zone IV). The city has experienced a series of low-intensity tremors in the last six months. However, no major loss or life or property was reported. In the wake of incidents of tremors, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) too had sent notices to the societies for structural safety audit.

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The development came after the recent directions of the Delhi High Court, which is hearing a petition seeking setting up of a monitoring committee to ensure timely implementation of the action plan for strengthening buildings in the city. Further hearing in the matter is scheduled for 19th January and before that societies have been sent notices to make them aware and go for structural safety audit and retrofitting measures, if needed.

Earlier in 2019, the civic bodies had issued instructions for structural safety audit of all buildings sanctioned before March 21, 2001. It is mandatory for a high rise building (15 metre or above) while the occupants of other buildings were also advised to arrange the review. But, the process of safety audit got delayed due to covid pandemic.

NC Mishra, General Secretary, Federation of CGHS (Cooperative Group Housing Societies), Dwarka, says, “Federation has been following up the matter with the DDA and MCD and it will provide all possible support to the societies and civic bodies as well.”

Sushil Kumar, president of Dwarka Forum, says that audit is must for the safety of the structures as the area is in seismic zone IV. For proper audit, societies would be given adequate time.