An abandoned public toilet complex in Jahangirpuri that collapsed on Wednesday evening, injuring a 13-year-old boy, was supposed to be demolished in 2013 to make way for a new project.
Officials of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, which owned the facility, said on Thursday that the complex had been out of use for years. Area councillor from Balswa, Jahangirpuri, Ram Kishan Bansiwal said the complex was partly demolished six months ago.
The BJP councillor said some people were trying to steal the iron rods ( saria ) from the structure when it collapsed. “The toilet complex had been half demolished six months ago as we are making a three-storey building there to house a library, a sewing centre and a home for widows,” said Mr. Bansiwal, adding that the building should be completed in 2016.
The project was first proposed in 2013 when the then Mayor Azad Singh and area councillors inspected the abandoned toilet complexes in Jahangirpuri area and found them to be safety hazards.
These toilets had been constructed in the late 1990s using funds from the Yamuna Action Plan, but had fallen into disrepair due to lack of maintenance. In 2013, the councillors had recommended that the complexes be demolished to make way for other public services. The councillor from neighbouring Bhalswa ward, Ajeet Singh Yadav, was a part of the inspection team two years ago.
“Anti-social elements had been using the premises, so we asked officials to demolish all such complexes,” said Mr. Yadav.
The Congress councillor accused the BJP-led Corporation of “not doing anything” to prevent Wednesday’s tragedy. However, Mr. Bansiwal said the Opposition was trying to politicise the issue.
“There were 12 such toilets in my ward and eight have been demolished. Six parks have been made in place and a project to construct a small secretariat of sorts is on,” said Mr. Bansiwal.
Interestingly, the complex that collapsed was not among the two structures considered “dangerous”, said Mr. Bansiwal.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Pravin Kumar Gupta ordered an inquiry into the incident on Thursday and gave the Civil Lines Zone Deputy Commissioner two days to send his report.
