DDA asked to look into problem of unsafe buildings

NEW DELHI: With a survey by Central Building Research Institute finding that 70 per cent of buildings on the Yamuna floodplains were structurally unsafe, Delhi LG Tejinder Khanna has asked DDA to form a specific unit to deal with this problem.

Khanna, who is also the Chairman of DDA, said the survey found that 70 percent of houses on the Yamuna flood plains were "unsafe structurally" and could face damage in the event of a severe earthquake.

"I have been telling DDA that we want to create a specific body to go in for retrofitting and reconstruction of unsafe housing in East Delhi," he said.

Speaking at a workshop organised to review the Master Plan of Delhi 2021, he said private developers could also utilise the opportunity to develop unauthorised colonies.

"I think redevelopment of all unauthorised colonies is going to be a huge opportunity for developers," he said, adding that developers could be given additional FAR for such redevelopment.

Khanna noted that farmhouses in Delhi functioned as "lungs of the city" and said it would be a disaster if high density buildings were to come up there as there would be no water to drink.

He said farmhouses would be regularised by charging a fee and they would be required to maintain a minimum prescribed level of greenery.