MCD Seals Illegal Commercial Basements Post Rajinder Nagar Tragedy

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi sealed 25 basements operating illegally as commercial entities from July 28 to 31. The crackdown followed the Rajinder Nagar tragedy where three IAS aspirants died due to flooding. The MCD issued show cause notices and surveyed 185 properties during this period.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) sealed 25 basements that were illegally operating as coaching centres, offices, or other commercial entities in various parts of the city from July 28 to July 31, according to official data.

The civic body issued show cause notices to 17 property owners during this period, the report stated.

Actions were taken against establishments in central Delhi's Rajinder Nagar and west Delhi's Patel Nagar and Ranjeet Nagar localities. Notably, in Old Rajinder Nagar alone, 18 basements were sealed on the Bara Bazar Marg stretch, as per the data.

A total of 15 properties faced action in these three areas, with seven being in Old Rajinder Nagar. The MCD surveyed 185 properties during this period.

The civic body stated that the sealing action was due to the basements being used for commercial purposes in contravention of the law.

The MCD had on Thursday ordered a survey of buildings with basements, open hanging wires, and old barrels catering to the combined drainage system across the city. This order followed the tragic Rajinder Nagar incident where three IAS aspirants died due to flooding in the basement of a coaching center.