SC cites blazes in Delhi, Lucknow; questions civic bodies on unauthorised buildings

The Supreme Court on Thursday (July 9, 2026) said “slackness” by the civic authorities to take effective action against unauthorised constructions in the national capital and its neighbouring regions would not be tolerated.

A Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan linked the clusters of unauthorised buildings in cramped areas of Delhi, Gurugram and even in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh to the recent fatal fire incidents in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar on June 3 and on June 22 at Lucknow.

Senior advocate Ajit Sinha, whom the court had appointed amicus curiae, said several factors had converged to lead to the tragedies. He said the fire had blazed through a narrow multi-storey building in the congested Hauz Rani urban village of south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar which operated as a bed and breakfast with a restaurant on the ground floor.

“The final death toll reached 23, most of them were foreign nationals reportedly from Nigeria, Mozambique, Somalia, Liberia, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan who were staying near the Max and PSRI hospitals while their relatives received medical treatment; more than 50 people were rescued,” he pointed out.

Mr. Sinha said the fire in a multi-storeyed building situated in Lucknow’s Aliganj resulted in the death of 15 persons, many of them students aged between 16 and 25 years.

“We are particularly concerned with the conduct of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi [MCD] with regard to non-compliance of directions issued by the court in 2024 and specific directions of May 20,” the Bench addressed Additional Solicitor General S.D. Sanjay, appearing for the MCD.

The law officer agreed to file a detailed report before August 4, the next date of hearing.

The court cautioned that top officials of the civic bodies would be held personally liable if effective action was found not taken on the ground to check unauthorised constructions.

The court referred to media reports that 93% buildings in Gurugram failed in complying with fire safety norms and asked the executive head of the civic body of the city to be present on the next date of hearing with a report detailing the action taken.