MCD demolition drive operations began in Laxmi Nagar and Pandav Nagar on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, against unauthorised structures after Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta directed civic officials to intensify action against illegal construction following the Satya Niketan building collapse.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi said the properties targeted during the operation had already been booked for unauthorised construction. An MCD official said one of the buildings had approval for a ground floor and four upper floors but had an additional portion constructed on top. After a notice was issued, the civic body began demolishing the building completely.
“This property is booked under ‘unauthorised construction’. We are initiating demolition action against it,” the official said, adding that one or two more buildings in the area could also face action. The official said similar measures could be taken against other properties that had previously been booked for construction violations.
The demolition drive was launched days after the collapse of a building in Satya Niketan, an incident that killed seven people and injured several others. The collapse prompted the chief minister to order strict and comprehensive action against unsafe and unauthorised structures across Delhi.
Gupta directed the MCD to carry out demolition action in several parts of the capital and instructed senior civic officials to remain present at the sites during the exercise, according to the Chief Minister’s Office. The directions cover structures identified as having violated construction rules, although the supplied report does not specify the total number of properties listed for demolition across the city.
The chief minister also ordered intensive inspections of paying guest hostels across Delhi. Officials were directed to examine PG premises and take action against illegal construction found on their properties. The inspections form part of the wider response to the Satya Niketan collapse and are intended to identify unsafe or unauthorised structures.
The action in Laxmi Nagar and Pandav Nagar, however, drew allegations of selective enforcement from residents. Ronit Sohan alleged that several multi-storey buildings, including structures of up to six floors, had been constructed in the area without comparable action. He also alleged that poorer residents were disproportionately affected by demolition drives and claimed that residents had been asked for bribes when seeking action or approaching the police. These allegations were not independently verified in the report.
Another resident, identified as Sunita, alleged that unauthorised construction was widespread but that enforcement was focused on particular residents. Residents questioned why some buildings were being demolished while other structures they considered similarly unauthorised continued to operate in the area.
The MCD official said the properties being acted against had already been booked for unauthorised construction. The civic body’s demolition action and the ordered inspections are expected to continue as part of the citywide crackdown following the Satya Niketan building collapse.
