In a significant judgment, the Delhi High Court has directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to compensate the family of a 17-year-old youth with Rs 10 lakh after he was fatally injured by a falling concrete slab from an MCD-owned building. The tragic incident, which occurred in July 2007, has led to a prolonged legal battle highlighting the civic body’s negligence.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav ruled that the MCD had failed in its duty to maintain its premises safely, a failure that directly resulted in the untimely death of the youth, identified as Sonu. “It is conclusively established that the death of the deceased was caused due to the falling of the concrete block from the quarters owned by the MCD,” stated Justice Kaurav.
The court pointed out that the MCD had a bounden duty to ensure that its buildings were in a safe condition and that the lack of maintenance posed a direct threat to public safety. The judgement also highlighted that there were no preventive measures like fencing or warning signs around the dilapidated building, which could have potentially averted the tragedy.
The family’s counsel argued that the quarters were in a dangerously dilapidated state, a fact known to the MCD, and criticized the absence of basic safety measures at the site. On the other hand, the MCD’s defense claimed that the youth had trespassed with possibly malicious intent, an allegation the court firmly dismissed.
The deceased was a class 11 student and an active participant in his school’s activities, being the captain of the junior kabaddi team and a member of the National Cadet Corps (NCC). His untimely death robbed him of a promising future, a point emphasized during the proceedings.
