SDMC asks for structural audit report from high-rise buildings, schools and housing societies

Seeking to ensure seismic stability of high-rise buildings, the SDMC has started identifying such structures and issuing notices to groups and institutions to submit structural audit reports, it said on Sunday. In a statement, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) said it has already started taking action in accordance with the instructions given by the Delhi High Court in view of earthquakes and the seismic stability of high-rise buildings in the city.

"In order to ensure seismic stability of buildings, the SDMC has started identifying high-rise buildings and issuing notices seeking a structural audit report," the civic body said.

It said 77 notices have been issued to the authorities at schools and residential group housing societies and institutions, asking them to submit structural audit reports.

"An inspection was carried out by the engineers of the building department at the Sunny Valley housing society, Sector 12 and Delhi State Housing Society, Sector 19 of Dwarka to check the retrofitting work on Sunday," the statement said.

Earlier, a structural consultant was appointed to strengthen the buildings and make those safe from a seismic point of view, it said.

The consultant suggested retrofitting of the structures by guniting, re-barring and jacketing of columns and strengthening of beams, the statement said.

In the inspection carried out by the building department engineers, it was found that the work of retrofitting was in progress and expected to be completed in eight months as there was a paucity of funds, it added.

The Sun Valley society was constructed in 2003 on a land allotted by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). With the passage of time, cracks had developed in its columns and beams and the reinforcement was exposed, the statement said.

Delhi-NCR has witnessed tremors a few times recently.