New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday came down heavily on civic authorities over rampant illegal constructions and repeated failure to comply with its earlier directions, observing that if officials do not act even after the apex court's orders, it raises serious concerns about the situation faced by ordinary citizens.
A Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan directed the formation of an expert committee comprising senior professors and draughtsmen from IIT Delhi. The panel, along with officials from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the amicus curiae, will inspect buildings in Saket, Lajpat Nagar and Sarojini Nagar and submit a report before the Supreme Court.
The bench expressed dissatisfaction with the response of civic authorities, noting that despite an earlier order directing immediate action against unauthorised constructions in Delhi, effective steps had not been taken on the ground.
The court observed that authorities appeared to have restricted their response to issuing notices rather than taking decisive measures such as sealing or demolition, despite previous directions requiring "immediate and effective action" against illegal structures.
Taking note of recent incidents of fires and building collapses in Delhi, Gurugram and Lucknow, the Supreme Court warned that weak enforcement of building regulations could lead to serious consequences.
The bench said officials responsible for implementing court directions would be held personally accountable if they failed to take necessary action. It also sought details of measures taken by civic authorities following the recent incidents and indicated that it would not hesitate to initiate contempt proceedings in cases of continued non-compliance.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed all states, Union Territories and civic bodies to submit fresh affidavits personally sworn by the heads of the respective authorities, detailing the actual action taken after surveys of unauthorised constructions.
The court had cautioned against "mere ritualistic compliance" and clarified that action should include sealing, demolition or any other measures required under the law.
The apex court had observed that the scale of illegal constructions across the country appeared "enormous" and specifically highlighted Lajpat Nagar and Sarojini Nagar in Delhi, where buildings were allegedly constructed beyond approved plans, creating the risk of a major disaster.
The court had also impleaded the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in the proceedings and appointed senior advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha as the nodal officer to receive complaints related to illegal constructions.
With IANS inputs