NEW DELHI: The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) is set to launch a comprehensive structural safety audit of government buildings under its jurisdiction, with a primary focus on high-risk structures in the national capital such as hospitals, schools, colleges, and institutional buildings.
The move is in response to a Delhi High Court directive enforcing a 2019 seismic safety action plan.
According to officials, the CPWD will complete the structural audits within one year, and retrofitting or strengthening of identified buildings must be completed within two years thereafter. They said that priority will be given to buildings constructed before 2002, which are more likely to fall short of current seismic standards.
The Delhi High Court had made it clear that the 2019 seismic safety plan issued by the city's urban development department carries the weight of a statutory mandate. The court said that all local authorities are legally bound to implement the plan, regardless of whether they were a party to the litigation.
While the CPWD was not directly involved in the case, it constructs and maintains a large number of government buildings in Delhi and issues building plan approvals. As such, officials said implementation of the action plan is both “necessary and advisable.”
In an official note, the CPWD said that that all new building approvals will now require structural safety certificates from qualified structural engineers. For existing structures, audits and retrofitting will proceed depending on the availability of engineers and funding.
The department also indicated that this initiative may be extended to other parts of the country, particularly areas in seismic zones IV and V. Regional data will be compiled and submitted to the CPWD’s Director General, with progress to be reviewed every six months.
“A certificate from a qualified structural engineer confirming compliance with seismic guidelines must be submitted to the local body,” the note said.