The Indian Express                       02.04.2013

DDA’s next: Stronger foundation for ‘dangerous’ buildings in East Delhi

After 70 per cent of all buildings on Yamuna floodplains were
declared structurally unsafe in a survey by Central Building Research
Institute, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is about to hire a
consultant to help in retrofitting or reconstructing ‘dangerous or
unsafe’ buildings in the city. Most of these buildings are in East
Delhi.

Pilot projects for retrofitting will be carried out in five
areas. Three or four buildings will be reconstructed in each of these
pilot projects. Retrofitting involves strengthening the foundation of
unsafe buildings. This increases the earthquake resistance of the
building.

“The five areas where pilot projects will be carried out are
Lalita Park, Gandhi Nagar, Kondli, Lal Kuan and Fatehpur Beri. We are
going to hire a consultant to tell us how to go about retrofitting or
reconstructing these buildings,” DDA spokesperson Neemo Dhar said. All
of these areas have witnessed building collapses in the past. The DDA
has created a special cell to manage these projects, in accordance with
the Lieutenant-Governor’s recommendations.

DDA officials said, the consultant will help them frame an
overall policy for retrofitting or reconstructing unsafe buildings in
the city. “This will involve the cost of retrofitting or reconstructing
dangerous buildings and transit accommodation to be provided to
occupants of such buildings. The consultant will speak to the owner of
the building and determine whether it needs to be retrofitted or
demolished completely and reconstructed,” an official said.

Authorities are yet to decide who will bear the cost of
retrofitting or reconstruction. If the pilot projects are successful,
this exercise will be extended to other parts of Delhi. This exercise
will be carried out by involving experts from IIT-Delhi, civic agencies,
NDMA. National Institute of Disaster Management and the municipal
corporation had carried out a vulnerability assessment survey of
buildings in the trans-Yamuna area in 2011 after the Lalita Park
building collapse incident.

A representative sample survey of 1 per cent of the total buildings
(10,000 structures) was carried out using rapid visual screening in all
64 corporation wards in East Delhi, spread over 124 sq km. The survey of
East Delhi revealed that the area is more vulnerable during an
earthquake due to unauthorised construction, haphazard growth and lack
of adherence to engineering norms.

To rebuild or strengthen

Retrofitting involves upgrading existing buildings to strengthen
their foundation. This increases the building’s earthquake resistance

A survey by Central Building Research Institute declared 70 per cent buildings unsafe in Yamuna floodplains

Pilot projects will be carried out in five areas — Lalita Park, Gandhi Nagar, Kondli, Lal Kuan and Fatehpur Beri

DDA is hiring a consultant, who will speak to building owners to determine if the structure should be rebuilt or retrofitted

If the pilot projects are successful, this exercise will be extended to other parts of Delhi

Authorities are yet to decide who will bear the cost of retrofitting or reconstruction

A sample survey carried out in East Delhi revealed that the area
is more vulnerable during an earthquake due to unauthorised
construction, haphazard growth and lack of adherence to engineering
norms