New Delhi April 07, 2020: In 2014, an NGO, Satyamev Jayate Foundation, complained against Markaz for carrying out illegal construction in the building. However, no action was taken.
The Markaz building in Nizamuddin, where hundreds of people were infected with Coronavirus, and thousands others are still at risk, had been surrounded with controversy since 2014 over illegal construction.
In 2014, an NGO, Satyamev Jayate Foundation, complained against Markaz for carrying out illegal construction in the building. However, no action was taken.
Monu Chaddha, chairman of the NGO, said, “I have been writing letters to the municipal corporation continuously for the last several years, mentioning the illegal construction in Markaz’s building. But no action was taken by the civic body. Today, the result of that negligence is in front of everyone.”
According to sources in South MCD, the map of the building was passed in 1995. At that time there was only one corporation in Delhi. Construction was done in the building according to rules then, but they kept changing over the years. However, the construction work in the building continued and many rules were flouted in the process.
In 2014, Satyamev Jayate Foundation wrote a complaint to the Central Zone of South MCD. The letter said, “The deputy commissioner of the zone was told that rules are being dismantled under the name of religion. It also mentioned the length of the building. Despite the demand for action, no action was taken.”
Meanwhile, Rajpal Singh, the deputy chairman of the Standing Committee in the corporation, said that the building is illegal. He also asked officials to check and seal the building.
Singh said, “Now, the MCD will take full action on this. I have asked for the file of this entire case and I have come to know that a considerable part of Markaz is illegal.”
