3 min readJun 3, 2026 06:05 AM IST First published on: Jun 3, 2026 at 06:05 AM ISTThe building collapse in Dehi’s Saidulajab that claimed six lives evokes a sense of terrible déjà vu. The five-storey building shouldn’t legally have had more than three floors. When it gave way on Saturday, the structure was undergoing more illegal construction. Unauthorised floors, weak foundations, use of poor-quality materials and deviations from approved plans seem to have become commonplace in Delhi. In response to a question in the Lok Sabha in 2023, the Ministry of Urban Affairs said that authorities in the city had identified 55,000 constructions that violate norms. The city has seen a worrying trend of building collapses and fires over the last decade. Yet, more often than not, it takes a catastrophe or a court order for officials to book the violators or call for accountability. Even then, the governance deficits that cause calamities such as the one in Saidulajab remain unaddressed.The latest tragedy is particularly heartbreaking because most of the victims were students, including medical and engineering college aspirants. Delhi has several hostels, paying-guest accommodations and low-cost rental housing that cater to people seeking a better future in the Capital. However, in their haste to cash in on the commercial opportunities from such migration, many property owners compromise on safety. Preliminary investigations have revealed that such shortcuts were behind the Saidulajab tragedy. A strong inspection mechanism could have averted it. But as tragedy after tragedy — the hospital fire in 2024, the flooding of an UPSC coaching centre the same year, numerous building collapses — have shown, the enforcement of such basic municipal protocols remains at a premium in the Capital.AdvertisementThese shortcomings should resonate with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. As a three-time municipal councillor, she has first-hand knowledge of the systemic weaknesses that have persisted in civic bodies across political regimes. The Delhi CM’s background as a popular student leader could have informed policies sensitive to the difficult conditions faced by young migrants. After the public uproar over the Saidulajab incident, municipality officers have reportedly said that they will conduct an audit of unsafe buildings. The city’s authorities need to do more. The proper tribute to the victims would be to ensure that death traps such as the one in Saidulajab do not come up in the first place.