Around 700 homes in Uttam Nagar’s Krishna Colony, a 40-year-old settlement beside the Pankha Road drain, are facing safety concerns linked to drain erosion, fragile construction, narrow access lanes and low-hanging high-voltage electricity wires, according to a report by Jagran – New Delhi published on Friday.
The settlement is located in the Hastal area of west Delhi and stretches for around 1.5 to 2 kilometres near the mouth of the drain. Residents say several houses have been built on very small plots without structural pillars, with some rising two or three storeys. The continuing erosion along the drain has raised concerns about the stability of buildings located close to its edge.
The safety worries have intensified after the collapse of a 30-year-old unauthorised multi-storey building in Seemapuri, where two children and a pregnant woman were reported dead. The Seemapuri incident has increased concern about the condition of older and densely built settlements across Delhi, including Krishna Colony.
The settlement, which began as a cluster of huts on government land, has also been referred to as T-Camp Krishna Colony. Its dense layout leaves some homes accessible only through iron staircases from the main road. At the rear, lanes are reportedly only two to three feet wide, restricting movement and making access difficult. Shops selling meat and groceries, along with vehicle-repair businesses, operate along the main road.
Residents have also raised concerns about the lack of a protective wall along the drain. They say children could fall into the open edge, particularly because there is no continuous barrier between the settlement and the drain. An 11,000-volt electricity line passes above several homes, and residents claim that the wires hang low at some locations, creating an additional safety risk.
Basic services in the colony are also limited. Several houses reportedly do not have toilets, forcing residents to use public facilities operated by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Some older public toilets remain locked, according to the report. Drinking water is supplied through tankers, while some households have electricity meters and receive regular bills from BSES.
Residents are now seeking a survey of the colony, safety measures for structurally weak homes and permanent housing through rehabilitation. They say they have lived in the area for several decades, possess voting rights and have previously received assurances from successive governments about rehabilitation and housing.
Resident Shakuntala Devi said the community wanted authorities to survey the buildings, make unsafe structures secure and provide permanent homes. Another resident, Kavita, said the narrow lanes, small houses, drain erosion and low-hanging electricity wires could together cause a serious accident. The report does not mention any official survey, evacuation order or rehabilitation timeline for Krishna Colony.
