The New Delhi Municipal Council has asked residents of 145 Type-I quarters at Valmiki Sadan in Delhi to vacate their homes after an engineering inspection raised serious concerns about the structural strength of eight housing blocks.
The direction was issued by the NDMC Housing Department following an inspection conducted by its Civil Engineering Department on September 10. Officials said the quarters were considered unsafe and not suitable for continued occupation. The council said the instruction was issued as a precaution to prevent any untoward incident.
The affected homes belong to two sets of blocks constructed decades apart. Of the 145 quarters, 81 are located in four three-storey blocks built in 1965-66. These include quarters numbered G-25 to G-51, F-25 to F-51 and S-25 to S-51. The remaining 64 quarters are in four four-storey blocks constructed in 1985-86 and numbered 1 to 64.
According to officials cited in the report, the inspection found serious concerns about the strength of all eight blocks. The NDMC also assessed that the cost of repairing the buildings would be very high. On that basis, the council asked residents to vacate the quarters as soon as possible rather than continue living in buildings deemed unsafe.
The Housing Department has appealed to residents to cooperate with officials during the process of vacating the rooms. The report does not specify whether alternative accommodation, relocation support or a rehabilitation timetable has been announced for the affected households. It also does not state whether the blocks will be demolished, reconstructed or subjected to any further technical assessment after they are emptied.
The action comes amid wider scrutiny of ageing and dangerous buildings in Delhi. Following the incident at a paying guest accommodation in Satya Niketan, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has been taking action against properties considered unauthorised or hazardous. The report said 40 illegal and dangerous buildings were demolished in Delhi, 16 properties were sealed and demolition orders were issued in four cases involving violations of building norms.
The MCD is also surveying paying guest establishments across all 12 of its zones. Officials said 2,453 buildings housing PG facilities had been inspected so far, with four found to be in dangerous condition. One PG in Satya Niketan was being demolished, including work on its third floor, while another in Keshav Puram and two in South Delhi were expected to be demolished.
For residents of Valmiki Sadan, the immediate issue remains vacating the 145 quarters identified by the NDMC as unsafe. The council’s next steps, including arrangements for the occupants and the future of the eight blocks, remain unspecified in the information available.
