Ensure future buildings in city seismic zone IV compliant: Delhi High Court

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has directed municipal bodies in the city and the DDA to ensure that no buildings in future are constructed in the national capital which are not seismic zone IV compliant.

The direction was issued by a bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva which observed that the municipal corporations have to work under the "superintendence and control" of Delhi government while formulating an action plan for making buildings seismic zone IV compliant.

With the above observation, the court directed the corporations to forward the action plan to Delhi government within two weeks.

The government has been directed to examine the action plan and finalise it for implementation within four weeks thereafter by issuing guidelines or bye-laws, if necessary.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) was directed to file a status report regarding making structures in their jurisdiction compliant with norms for seismic zone IV.

The court was hearing a PIL by advocate Arpit Bhargava questioning how safe were the buildings in Delhi if an earthquake, like that in Nepal, occurs here.

The matter has been listed for further hearing on March 30.

On January 27, the Centre had told the court that the corporations would formulate plans to implement the national building code and disaster preparedness under the control of Delhi government.

The Centre had told the court that the issues raised in the PIL are covered by the building regulations chapter in the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act and added that the provisions have to be enforced by the commissioners of the corporations "under the general superintendence, direction and control of Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD)".