The Delhi Development Authority has ordered mandatory structural safety audits for high-rise buildings constructed under sanctions issued before March 21, 2001, including malls, hospitals and educational institutions, giving owners three months to complete the assessments.
The direction applies to all high-rise buildings measuring 15 metres or more, according to a public notice issued by the DDA on Thursday. It also covers buildings below 15 metres where large numbers of people gather, including group housing complexes, educational buildings, hospitals and institutional buildings.
The notice requires owners to arrange the structural safety assessment of their properties within the three-month deadline. After the audit, building owners will be required to undertake retrofitting and other corrective measures wherever deficiencies are identified. The DDA has warned that action will be taken against owners who do not comply.
The order comes amid renewed concern over the structural integrity of older buildings in the capital following building collapse incidents, including the collapse in Satya Niketan that resulted in seven deaths. The DDA said the direction was also issued in view of the need to assess buildings for earthquake-related structural safety.
Delhi is located in Seismic Zone IV because of its proximity to the Himalayas, an area classified as having fairly high seismicity. The notice said earthquakes of magnitude 5 to 6 generally occur in the region. The seismic context makes the condition and resilience of older buildings a significant concern, particularly where structures accommodate large numbers of residents, patients, students, shoppers or institutional users.
The audit requirement distinguishes between building height and the intensity of public use. While the 15-metre threshold covers older high-rise structures, buildings below that height can also fall within the order if they have high footfall. This brings a wider range of public and institutional buildings under scrutiny than a height-based inspection programme alone would cover.
The DDA’s directions place the initial responsibility on building owners to commission the assessments and implement any required corrective work. The public notice does not specify in the supplied material the audit methodology, the qualifications required of auditors, or the enforcement process that will follow the three-month compliance period.
The immediate next step is for owners of the affected buildings to arrange structural safety audits within three months and carry out retrofitting or other corrective measures identified through those assessments. The DDA has stated that non-compliance will invite action.
