Malviya Nagar fire, Satya Niketan collapse: Same officials, why different action?

Two MCD South Zone officials facing suspension after the Satya Niketan building collapse were also posted in the zone when the Malviya Nagar fire killed 23 people in June. While no action was taken against them after the fire, their immediate suspension following the collapse raises questions over what changed and how accountability was fixed.

In Short

• No action was taken against them after Malviya Nagar hotel fire in June
• Building conversions from residential to commercial raised safety risks
• Responsibility spans from Junior Engineer to Deputy Commissioner in Satya Niketan case

Two of the five Municipal Corporation of Delhi (South Zone) officials against whom Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has ordered action in connection with the Satya Niketan hostel crash were serving in the civic body when the Malviya Nagar hotel fire killed 23 people on June 3.

The two officials -- Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar and Superintendent Engineer Ranvir Singh -- are among those facing action following the incident.

What is significant is that no action was taken against these officials after the Malviya Nagar incident, while they were suspended with immediate effect after the Satya Niketan incident. This has raised questions over why there was such a major difference in the MCD's accountability and the role assigned to its officials in the two incidents.

Many experts have pointed out that incidents such as the building collapse and the Malviya Nagar fire can occur when residential buildings are converted for commercial use. Several buildings in Satya Niketan have been converted from ground-plus-one structures into buildings with three or four floors. This was the case with the building that collapsed in the area, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens more.

In the case of the Malviya Nagar fire, too, the hotel was originally a residential building that was converted into a commercial hospitality property.

Experts further pointed out that residential buildings illegally repurposed for commercial use are at high risk of collapse when there is both heavy rain and construction or other structural work being carried out on the premises. In the Satya Niketan building case, both factors were present: construction was underway in the basement and there had been overnight rain.

However, the bigger question remains: why was no action taken against these officials during the Malviya Nagar fire incident, while they were suspended immediately after the Satya Niketan building collapse? And what were the responsibilities of these officials?

First question: What was the difference between the Malviya Nagar and Satya Niketan incidents?

The Malviya Nagar incident in the Hauz Rani area involved a fire at a restaurant. People were present inside the restaurant at the time, and the matter was primarily related to fire and health-related circumstances.

After that incident, action was taken against officials of the MCD's health department. Assistant Public Health Officer Prince Mann was suspended, while the Deputy Health Officer was transferred from the South Zone to the MCD headquarters at Civic Centre.

However, the building department officials in the South Zone were not held responsible for the incident, and no action was taken against them at the time.

Why was the situation different in the Satya Niketan incident?*

Renovation/construction-related work was underway in the building where the Satya Niketan incident took place. This directly brought the MCD's building department under scrutiny.

When construction, alterations or renovation work is being carried out in a building, officials at different levels of the MCD's building department have a role to play.

This is why the action this time was not limited to a single official. An attempt was made to fix responsibility across levels, from the Junior Engineer to the Superintending Engineer and Deputy Commissioner.

First, the responsibility of the Junior Engineer.

Junior Engineer Ashish Kumar is considered the ground-level link of the MCD's building department in the area.

If new construction, unauthorised construction or major alterations/renovation are being carried out in an area, the JE's role in visiting the site and monitoring the situation is important.

WHAT WERE THE JUNIOR ENGINEER'S RESPONSIBILITIES?

• Keeping an eye on construction work taking place in the area.
• Inspecting construction sites from time to time.
• Checking whether construction was being carried out according to approved rules.
• Inspecting the material being used and the status of the work.
• Reporting unauthorised or rule-violating construction to senior officials.
• Initiating action to stop construction work, if required.
• Taking action under the MCD's prescribed procedure in cases of unauthorised construction.

The question is: If renovation work was underway at the Satya Niketan building, was an inspection conducted at the site at the JE level?

If an inspection was conducted, what was found?

And if there were violations of construction rules, why were they not stopped in time?

RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ASSISTANT ENGINEER

Next comes the role of Assistant Engineer Sunil Chauhan. The AE's responsibility is also linked to monitoring construction activities in the area and taking forward action on irregularities flagged by the JE.

Role of the AE

• Inspecting construction activities in the area.
• Monitoring JE reports and the situation at the site.
• Checking whether construction work is in accordance with the rules.
• Taking forward the process of action in cases of unauthorised construction or unauthorised renovation.
• Initiating the process for action such as booking/FIR against a building, where required.
• Ensuring that once information about unauthorised construction is received, action does not remain confined to paperwork.

At this level, the major question is whether the MCD's building department was aware of the renovation work being carried out at the Satya Niketan building.

If it was aware, why was action not taken in time?

RESPONSIBILITY OF THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER

Next comes the responsibility of Executive Engineer Lalit Kumar Goel.

The EE is above the JE and AE in the hierarchy, and monitoring building-related action in his area is also an important part of the role.

Role of the EE

• Monitoring the functioning of the building department in the area.
• Reviewing reports related to unauthorised construction.
• Ensuring that further action is taken after a building is booked.
• Monitoring whether action in the matter was carried out properly.
• Taking forward the process if action or demolition proceedings are initiated against a building.
• Monitoring inquiries into complaints of irregularities, bias or other lapses in any action.

In other words, if any construction irregularity is found at the JE or AE level, the matter moves up the chain, and the EE is responsible for ensuring that the action is taken forward effectively.

RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER

Next is the level of Superintending Engineer Ranvir Singh.

The SE oversees the functioning of the building department across the area at a higher level.

Role of the SE

• Monitoring construction work being carried out in the area.
• Reviewing the work of subordinate engineers.
• Monitoring cases related to unauthorised construction.
• Ensuring that the prescribed procedure is being followed at the JE, AE and EE levels.
• Reviewing serious cases and departmental action at the site and at the administrative level.
• Ensuring that information about any serious irregularity reaches the senior level and that action is taken.

Therefore, the question is not only whether the JE conducted an inspection, but also why the officers above him did not carry out monitoring at their respective levels.

RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER

At the top of the chain is South Zone Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar.

The Deputy Commissioner oversees the administrative functioning of various MCD departments at the zonal level and monitors important actions.

In building-related matters, it is important for the zonal administration to monitor the action being taken and ensure that the relevant administrative procedures are followed.

Role of the DC

• Monitoring the functioning of various MCD departments in the zone.
• Reviewing serious and important matters.
• Monitoring action taken by the building department.
• Monitoring orders and action related to demolition and enforcement.
• Ensuring that departmental officials are acting according to the rules.
• Ensuring that serious negligence, if found, is reported to the senior level and that action is taken.

The question in the Satya Niketan case concerns this entire chain.

After the Satya Niketan incident, the MCD, for the first time, did not hold only a ground-level official responsible. Five officials, from the Junior Engineer to the Deputy Commissioner, were suspended.

This clearly indicates that the focus of the inquiry is not limited to finding out which official conducted an inspection at the site. It is also examining where negligence may have occurred across the entire administrative and engineering chain.

DIFFERENT ACTION IN MALVIYA NAGAR, DIFFERENT PICTURE IN SATYA NIKETAN

This is the biggest difference between the two incidents.

Malviya Nagar incident

• The incident involved a fire at a restaurant.
• The role of the health department came under scrutiny.
• Action was taken against health department officials.
• The building department officials were not subjected to action.

SATYA NIKETAN INCIDENT

• Renovation/construction work was underway in the building.
• This brought the role of the building department directly under scrutiny.

One of the major messages of the action taken after the Satya Niketan incident is believed to be fixing accountability.

The aim is to convey that if rules are violated in an area and the concerned officials fail to act in time, responsibility will not be limited to a lower-level official.

Accountability can extend up the chain.

That is why the action this time began with the Junior Engineer and went all the way up to the Deputy Commissioner.

- Ends