Seismic Safety – CPWD Yet to Receive Action Reports on Government Building Plan
Seismic Safety – Nearly a year after the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) asked its senior officials to begin work on a roadmap for improving the earthquake resistance of government buildings, the department is still waiting for reports detailing the action taken. Several reminders have been issued, but the required status information has not yet been submitted by the concerned offices.
The delay has also drawn attention from Parliament, where questions have reportedly been raised about the structural condition of older government buildings and the need to assess their ability to withstand earthquakes. Officials said that despite these concerns, the requested information on structural assessments and related measures remains pending.
Fresh reminder issued to senior officials
The Chief Engineer (Designs and Disaster Management) in the CPWD has now sent another communication to all Special Director Generals (SDGs) and Additional Director Generals (ADGs). The officials have been directed to take the required steps under the proposed roadmap and provide details of the action already taken.
According to an official note dated August 8, the department had earlier prepared a roadmap for implementing an action plan aimed at making government buildings seismically compliant. The note stated that SDGs and ADGs had previously been asked to act on the plan, but no Action Taken Report (ATR) had been received so far.
The latest communication has asked senior officials to treat the matter as a priority and ensure that the proposed measures are followed. They have also been instructed to submit their Action Taken Reports by August 24.
Structural safety concerns remain unresolved
The issue is significant because a large number of government buildings are old structures, some of which may require detailed technical evaluation before their safety can be determined. A seismic assessment can help identify weaknesses in a building and establish whether strengthening or other corrective work is necessary.
Officials have previously acknowledged the need to examine the structural safety of such buildings. Questions raised by members of Parliament have added to the pressure on the department to provide clear information about the condition of these structures and the progress of safety-related measures.
However, the latest reminder indicates that the CPWD has yet to receive a consolidated response from the concerned senior offices.
CPWD had set a timeline for audits and retrofitting
The department had outlined a broader plan in September to examine the structural safety of government buildings through detailed safety audits. The programme also included provisions for retrofitting or re-strengthening structures found to require additional protection.
Under the plan, buildings considered to be at higher risk were to receive priority during the assessment process. The structural safety audits were expected to be completed within one year.
Once the assessments were finished, buildings requiring intervention were to undergo retrofitting or re-strengthening over the following two years. The approach was intended to identify vulnerable structures first and then determine the technical measures needed to improve their resilience.
Action reports now awaited by August 24
The latest communication effectively brings the pending issue back into focus, with senior CPWD officials once again being asked to report on compliance with the roadmap.
The submission of Action Taken Reports will provide the department with a clearer picture of how far the proposed safety measures have progressed across its offices and projects. For now, the August 24 deadline is the next key date in the process as the CPWD seeks updates from its senior officials on the implementation of the seismic safety plan.