New Delhi: Magisterial inquiries into a series of deadly building collapses and fires in Delhi have repeatedly flagged regulatory failures, negligence and lapses by multiple govt agencies. The subsequent actions, however, have largely been directed at junior govt officials and engineers, even in cases where the probes have pointed to failures involving institutional processes, such as licensing, inspection, monitoring and enforcement.The pattern is evident in the case of the May 30 building collapse near Saket Metro station that claimed six lives, five of them young doctors. A magisterial inquiry that followed held Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) “negligent” as it had “failed” to enforce building bylaws, and concluded that the disaster was preventable.It stated that the collapse was primarily caused by unauthorised structural additions, including illegal third and fourth floors, to the building combined with inadequate regulatory enforcement.Despite the inquiry identifying a failure in enforcement, action was limited to the suspension of two MCD staffers: an assistant engineer and a junior engineer.The case illustrates a distinction between the level at which an institutional lapse is identified and the level at which disciplinary action is taken.A similar gap emerged after the blaze at a bed-and-breakfast establishment in Malviya Nagar on June 3, which killed 23 people. A magisterial inquiry found serious irregularities in the licensing, inspection and monitoring of the B&B and identified lapses by at least four authorities — Delhi Police, MCD, Delhi govt’s tourism department and BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd.The action against officials so far has, however, been limited to the sacking of a contractual assistant public health inspector and the transfer of the deputy health officer of South Zone to the headquarters.A magisterial probe into the May 3 fire at a four-storey residential building in Vivek Vihar Phase I, which claimed nine lives, identified lapses by MCD, fire services and Electrical Inspectorate, besides pointing to unauthorised overhead cables that hampered rescue operations.The probe found that Bronto Skylift failed to operate at the scene, most likely because cables, wires and banners became entangled in its boom. It also noted that no effective alternative tall-reach equipment was immediately available. However, no action against officials has been reported so far.Last month, chief minister Rekha Gupta said that based on these reports, actions would be taken against senior officials. However, no major step has been taken until now.A day after Sunday’s Satya Niketan building collapse, five MCD South Zone officials, including the deputy commissioner, superintending engineer, executive engineer (building), assistant engineer (building) and junior engineer (building), were suspended, while a magisterial inquiry was ordered.
