With reference to urban governance and illegal buildings in Delhi, consider the following statements: 1. The Delhi Development Authority is the primary agency for planning and development in Delhi. 2. A recent building collapse in Delhi resulted in at least ten fatalities. 3. The Supreme Court can order demolition of illegal buildings while ensuring alternative housing. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Salve: Supreme Court Can Order Illegal Delhi Buildings Demolished, But Must Provide Alternatives

GS2Polity · Governance · IR· Judiciary & landmark judgments· Mains· 10 September 2026

Judicial activism vs. Right to Housing: a GS2 case study on urban governance and public safety.

Why in news

Former Solicitor General Harish Salve stated that the Supreme Court can order the demolition of illegal buildings in Delhi but must ensure alternative housing is provided for displaced residents.

Background

The statement followed a recent building collapse in Delhi that resulted in at least seven deaths. Salve highlighted the Delhi Development Authority's (DDA) failure to plan for population growth and affordable housing.

Facts for Prelims

BodyDelhi Development Authority (DDA): The primary agency responsible for planning and development in Delhi.
FactA recent building collapse in Delhi resulted in at least seven fatalities.

Prelims practice question

With reference to urban governance and illegal buildings in Delhi, consider the following statements:

The Delhi Development Authority is the primary agency for planning and development in Delhi.
A recent building collapse in Delhi resulted in at least ten fatalities.
The Supreme Court can order demolition of illegal buildings while ensuring alternative housing.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)1 only
(b)1 and 3 only
(c)2 and 3 only
(d)1, 2 and 3

Show answer

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only — Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is incorrect: The note states it resulted in at least seven fatalities.

For Mains

Q. Discuss the balance between the judiciary's power to enforce urban safety regulations and the state's obligation to provide affordable housing for displaced populations.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

Institutional bottleneck: DDA's inability to keep pace with rapid urban population growth and housing demand.
Legal-ethical conflict: Balancing the right to safe infrastructure against the right to shelter for low-income residents.
Policy trade-off: Immediate demolition for public safety versus long-term rehabilitation of displaced urban poor.

Keywords: Urban Governance · Right to Housing · Judicial Activism · Affordable Housing · Public Safety

Read the full news →Source: NDTV ↗Also: GS1 · Urbanisation

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This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.