Gurugram planning department blamed for Ullahawas building collapse that killed seven

Sub-divisional magistrate Sanjiv Singla, the duty magistrate in the incident, had summoned officials of the DTCP and two other departments on Monday to explain why they shouldn’t be held accountable for not keeping a check on unauthorised construction leading to the collapse of the building in Ullahawas village.

The Gurugram district administration on Monday found the enforcement wing of the town and country planning (DTCP) at fault for not keeping a check on unauthorised construction in Ullahawas village, where a three-storey building collapsed on January 24 and led to the death of seven people. The administration also asked other agencies concerned to prepare a list of unauthorised buildings in the city.

Seven people were killed when a three-storey building collapsed in Ullahawas village in Gurugram on January 24, 2019. (Yogendra Kumar/HT Photo)

Sub-divisional magistrate Sanjiv Singla, the duty magistrate in the incident, had summoned officials of the DTCP, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), and the Development and Panchayats Department to the mini secretariat on Monday to explain why they shouldn’t be held accountable for not keeping a check on unauthorised construction leading to the building collapse.

In addition, Gurugram police from the Sector 65 police station and officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) were also in attendance.

Singla said that during the meeting he asked DTCP (enforcement) officials for an explanation as to why they did not initiate any action there despite the village being under their ‘control area’.

“I pointed out to DTCP officials that the village falls under their control area. They cannot take refuge in the fact that the plot of land where the building collapsed was in lal dora area and out of their jurisdiction. If lal dora was becoming a hindrance then this should have been cleared earlier. The village would have been removed from their control area and given to another body for keeping a check,” Singla said.

The three-storey building that collapsed was situated on a 100 square yard of lal dora land, a term that came into being before Independence. The land revenue department would tie a red thread—lal dora in Hindi— around a piece of habitable land to mark its boundary and distinguish it from agricultural land. Building by laws are not applicable on lal dora land unless it has been regularised by the state government. Local gram panchayats approve building plans here, and without a defined authority to oversee its function, it is often prone to unauthorised construction.

A day before its collapse, a lintel had been constructed for the expansion of the building to a fourth floor, which officials said weakened the building’s structure leading to its collapse.

Ved Prakash Sehrawat, district town planner (enforcement), did not reply to texts and calls from HT.

Singla said in addition he has directed the Development and Panchayats Department to compile a list of unauthorised buildings in their jurisdiction and submit it to the district administration, while also directing them to intervene against unsafe and unauthorised buildings since they are legally empowered to do so.

“The panchayat from Ullhawas village met me on Monday and also met the SDM later. They have made their representation on the building collapse. Directions issued by the SDM are being complied with,” Narender Sarwan, district development and panchayat officer, said.

Singla further said that MCG officials were directed to sanction building plans in villages falling under their area.

“The district administration is also in the process of writing to the MCG and the DTCP to compile a list of unauthorised buildings in their jurisdictions as well. Once the two bodies submit their lists, along with the panchayats deparment, we will have a more precise catalogue of the extent of unauthorised buildings present in the city. Accordingly, directions for a city-wide safety audit can then be initiated,” Singla said.

He further said that a notice is in the process of being sent to MCG officials for sanctioning and checking building plans in villages under their jurisdiction. He also said that the Development and Panchayats Department and the two civic bodies have been directed to carry out a safety audit.

Satish Parashar, senior town planner of the MCG, said he is yet to receive any notice from the district administration on the matter and hence was not in a position to comment on the issue.