So far, MCD has surveyed only 37% buildings as part of monsoon prep

The progress report, a copy of which has been seen by HT, shows that MCD will now have to cover 1.78 million houses in just 22 days – or a whopping 81,000 houses every single day – to meet its June 15 deadline

Less than a month before the arrival of the monsoon, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is severely lagging behind in its annual pre-monsoon survey of dangerous buildings with only 36.9% of the targeted structures covered as of May 23, officials aware of the exercise said on Wednesday.

The survey is meant to identify structurally vulnerable buildings at risk of collapsing during the rains. (PTI)

According to MCD records, of the 2.83 million buildings scheduled to be surveyed this year, only 1,045,814 have been inspected so far. The progress report, a copy of which has been seen by HT, shows that MCD will now have to cover 1.78 million houses in just 22 days – or a whopping 81,000 houses every single day – to meet its June 15 deadline.

Even more surprisingly, the civic agency has yet to declare a single building “dangerous,” raising serious questions about the effectiveness of the exercise. The survey, which is meant to identify structurally vulnerable buildings at risk of collapsing during the rains, has long been criticised for being more symbolic than preventive.

In past years, Delhi has witnessed multiple building collapses during the monsoon, often with fatal consequences. Yet, early detection remains elusive. Last year, MCD flagged just five buildings—located in Kalyanpuri and Pandav Nagar—as dangerous. However, at least nine buildings collapsed once the monsoon downpour started in the city, resulting in a combined total of 12 deaths and several injuries.

A senior MCD official said that while no dangerous buildings have been detected so far this year, 82 buildings were found in need of repair, mostly in the Walled City (City-Sadar Paharganj zone) and Rohini. “Directions have been issued to the property owners to carry out repairs before the monsoon—60 in old Delhi, 21 in Rohini, and one in Najafgarh,” the official said.

The survey is being conducted across MCD’s 12 administrative zones spread over 1,397.3 square kilometres. Progress has been patchy. While City-Sadar Paharganj has completed 63.7% of its target, and Najafgarh 56.7%, several zones are trailing far behind. Karol Bagh and West zone have each covered just 12.8%, while Civil Lines has completed only 17.1%. According to MCD’s own report, no dangerous buildings have been flagged anywhere so far.

Critics point out that Delhi still lacks a reliable mechanism to detect and prevent structural failures. MCD does not have a dedicated department for this purpose, and the task is left to officials responsible for maintaining other civic infrastructure. Their primary tool: an outdated visual inspection method.

“The survey is limited to spotting buildings with large cracks or visibly leaning structures. It does not cover parapets, balconies or hidden damage,” an official involved in the exercise admitted, asking not to be identified. “Ideally, building plans and structural integrity reports should be checked, but most development in Delhi has happened in an unplanned manner.”

A second official said buildings constructed according to approved plans can last up to 40 years. “We need to prioritise structural audits of buildings older than four decades, especially in the Walled City. Making such audits mandatory is essential,” the second official said. Under the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act, notices under Sections 348 and 349 are issued to property owners to carry out repairs or demolition within a week. If no action is taken, MCD is supposed to step in, but residents often secure a stay from the courts.

((RWA FEDERATION FROM OLD DELHI COMMENT ON EFFICACY OF THESE SURVEYS TO IDENTIFY DANGEROUS BUILDING))

Following a directive from the Delhi high court in an ongoing case, MCD had urged buildings older than 20 years to conduct structural safety audits. However, compliance has been negligible, officials admit.

Despite repeated queries, the MCD spokesperson did not respond.