Let's encroach, let's do away with open space, and if disaster strikes...
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Let's encroach, let's do away with open space, and if disaster strikes...

In Dwarka, most of the illegal construction is ‘non-engineered’ and built in masonry, rendering them vulnerable to collapse. 

Let's encroach, let's do away with open space, and if disaster strikes...

On Tuesday night, two adjacent buildings collapsed in Greater Noida. A six-floor building under construction crashed on a five-storey building next to it, bringing it down as well, claiming nine lives in the process. The tragedy once again brings the spotlight back on illegal construction.      

In April this year, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to form a special task force to remove encroachments from public roads and pavements. The court also rapped authorities for regularising colonies with illegal constructions.

But things have continued to remain the same in Dwarka, and illegal construction continues unabated right under the nose of the authorities.

Sometimes extra rooms are constructed on pillars; sometimes three-floor societies are converted into four-floor ones; sometimes main pillars are removed. Both the DDA and the MCD know of the violations, but have done nothing.

Vijay Kumar, a resident of Sector 14, said, “Illegal construction is common in all DDA pockets — they encroach upon veranda, rooftops, and even staircases. DDA and MCD officials are doing nothing.”

To this, Sunita Chaudhry, a resident of Sector 7, added: “It has become like an industry in itself. There’s no open space left... tell me in the event of an earthquake, where do you run to? Every inch has been grabbed upon.”

Dwarka falls under sensitive seismic zone. Therefore, altering building structures could prove fatal in the event of earthquakes. AK Sinha, a civil engineer, explained, “In Dwarka, most of the illegal construction is ‘non-engineered’ and built in masonry. Connections between the roof and the walls and between cross-walls are weak, rendering such buildings vulnerable to collapse. The structural instability is triggered by alterations in ground-floor columns, causing the upper storeys to come crashing down. Illegal construction such as extra floors and removal of main beams will prove to be dangerous someday.”