The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has directed owners and occupiers of high-rise buildings constructed under sanctions issued before March 21, 2001, to conduct mandatory structural safety audits within three months.
The directive covers buildings that are 15 metres or higher and extends to a range of properties, including group housing societies, malls, hospitals, educational institutions and other institutional buildings. The cost of carrying out the structural audit will have to be borne by the respective owners or occupiers.
The DDA issued the public notice on September 24, citing concerns over the structural safety of ageing buildings. The move comes amid renewed attention to building safety following incidents involving building collapses in Delhi.
Audit Required for Buildings 15 Metres or Higher
According to the DDA notice, all high-rise buildings measuring 15 metres or above and sanctioned before March 21, 2001, are required to undergo structural safety audits.
The owners have been given a period of three months to complete the assessments. The requirement is intended to provide an assessment of the structural condition of older buildings and identify areas where repairs, strengthening or other corrective measures may be required.
The directive also applies to certain buildings below 15 metres in height if they experience high footfall. This expands the scope of the audit requirement beyond conventional high-rise structures to older buildings where the number of occupants or visitors could create additional safety concerns.
Group Housing and Institutional Buildings Covered
The order covers group housing societies as well as educational institutions, hospitals and other institutional buildings constructed under approvals issued before the specified date.
For residential societies, the requirement means that building owners or the relevant occupants’ associations will need to arrange for structural assessments within the prescribed three-month period.
The audit is expected to examine the structural condition of the building and identify whether corrective work is necessary. Where deficiencies are found, owners will be required to undertake retrofitting and other measures based on the findings of the assessment.
Structural Engineers to Conduct Audits
The DDA has specified that structural safety audits can be carried out by structural engineers empanelled with municipal corporations, government agencies or government institutes.
Building owners and occupiers will be responsible for paying the fees and other costs associated with the structural audit.
The requirement places responsibility on property owners and occupiers to initiate the assessment and ensure that the prescribed safety review is completed within the stipulated period.
Retrofitting May Be Required
Following the structural assessment, buildings requiring corrective intervention will have to undertake retrofitting or other necessary measures.
The DDA has also clarified that retrofitting work should not be treated as deemed approval of a building or as regularisation of unauthorised construction or unauthorised use.
This distinction means that carrying out structural strengthening work will not, by itself, provide approval for construction or use that was not authorised under applicable regulations.
Focus on Older Building Stock
The directive brings structural safety of older buildings into focus, particularly in parts of Delhi where buildings constructed several decades ago continue to accommodate large numbers of residents, students, patients, visitors and workers.
The three-month deadline provides a defined timeframe for owners and occupiers to complete the assessment. Buildings found to require corrective work will have to undertake the necessary measures following the audit.
The DDA has warned that failure to comply with the structural audit requirement will invite action against the concerned owners.
The order therefore places responsibility on owners and occupiers of eligible older buildings to arrange structural assessments, address deficiencies identified through the audits and comply with the safety requirements specified by the authority.
