New Delhi, Sept. 9 -- The crackdown on illegal fifth floors in the city announced by Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta after the fatal Satya Niketan building collapse faces significant hurdles from regulatory amnesties, including an Act of Parliament that has been periodically updated since 2006, and the recent regularisation of 1,511 unauthorised colonies by the current state and central governments.

While officials may promise an immediate crackdown on illegal construction, subject experts and former officials say implementation will be easier said than done. Multiple laws and revisions to regulations over the past two decades have strengthened the protective cover available to unauthorised structures.

A senior MCD official dealing wit...