2 suspended over Satya Niketan PG collapse had served during Malviya Nagar fire

Two of the five MCD South Zone officials facing action over the Satya Niketan building collapse were serving in the civic body when the Malviya Nagar hotel fire killed 23 people.Superintending Engineer Ranvir Singh (L), Deputy Commissioner (South Zone) Rakesh Kumar (R)Two of the five Municipal Corporation of Delhi (South Zone) officials against whom Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has ordered action in connection with the Shanti 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.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 Shanti 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 Shanti Niketan building case, both factors were present: construction was underway in the basement and there had been overnight rain.On Monday, the Delhi High Court described the incident as "most unfortunate" and said responsibility did not lie only with the building owners, but also with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi University. The court said outstation students were being forced to take shelter in private paying guest accommodation because adequate housing facilities had not been provided. According to the suspension order, the officials suspended are Superintending Engineer Ranvir Singh, Executive Engineer (Building) Lalit Kumar Goel, Assistant Engineer (Building) Sunil Chauhan and Junior Engineer (Building) Ashish Kumar of the South Zone, along with Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar. TThe orders were issued by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi Vigilance Department on the directions of the civic body's commissioner under the DMC Services (Control and Appeal) Regulations, 1959.The order said the officials had been placed under suspension with immediate effect under Regulation 5(2). It added that they would be entitled to subsistence allowance as admissible under the rules. The suspension orders were signed by Deputy Law Officer (Vigilance) Nand Kishore.During the hearing at the Delhi High Court earlier today, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, the Delhi government, the Delhi Police and the MCD, told the court that all possible steps were being taken to rescue those trapped under the debris.He said the authorities were actively monitoring the situation and that some time was needed. Mehta also assured the court that the authorities would take all decisions in the interest of everyone concerned and that "no stone will be left unturned."The court asked the authorities to file separate replies to the petition within 10 days and listed the matter for further hearing on September 25. The building at Satya Niketan, near Delhi University's South Campus, collapsed on Sunday while repair work was under way. The collapse led to seven deaths, several injuries, the suspension of five MCD officials and court scrutiny of the role of the building owners, the civic body and the university.- EndsPublished By: Sayan GangulyPublished On: Sep 7, 2026 17:27 IST