NEW DELHI: The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has ordered immediate remove of diesel generator sets and other heavy material from terraces of heritage buildings at Connaught Place. Officials claimed that after a round of inspections, the process of clearing the rooftops had already begun.

Senior officials claimed that, so far, they had removed two DG sets and more action would be taken in the coming days. An automated system had been installed on a pilot basis to do away with the necessity of DG sets, an official said. “The buildings are old and we need to examine the load on the structures to ensure there is no mishappening. The automated system can provide electricity 24 hours a day. We have installed it on an experimental basis. If it’s successful, then we will use this system in entire CP and ask owners to remove generators from terraces,” he said.

The inspection was prompted by two incidents of roof collapse last year. Owners were instructed to submit structural safety certificates and get renovation done if there were any cracks, even if minor. According to a report submitted by the inspection team to NDMC, 1,239 units in the area were surveyed, of which only 356 were found in good condition. As many as 136 units faced the problem of excess water storage, while 200 units had issues pertaining to seepage and cracks.

The official quoted above said: “Heavy material cannot be removed in a couple of days, as we also need to provide alternative space for water tanks, generators, etc. The department is inspecting and examining the load on the buildings.”

In a two-day drive that concluded on Tuesday, NDMC also sealed portions of 16 units in Connaught Place for misuse of property. These units include restaurant and pubs as well as some shops.