Two dead as three-storey building collapses in Old Delhi
The under-construction structure in Chawri Bazaar fell on Thursday morning, prompting a rescue operation for those feared trapped.
A three-storey under-construction building collapsed in the Chawri Bazaar area of Old Delhi on Thursday morning. The incident was reported at approximately 9:50 am from Gali Sitara, near the Chawri Bazaar Metro station, according to reports by NewsX, The Indian Express and India Today.
Two men, identified as 60-year-old Chanderpal and 33-year-old Vijay Kumar, died after being rescued from the debris and taken to a hospital, NewsX reported. An eyewitness, Mohd Nayeem, told India Today that the collapse occurred while residents were asleep and noted that the building had been under construction for three to four months.
The Delhi Fire Services dispatched six units to the site, including water tenders, a water bowser, a Quick Response Vehicle (QRV), and an Incident Response Team (IRT). Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO) Rajesh Shukla, Station Officer (STO) Bhupender Sharma, and Station Officer (STO) DK Rai are supervising the rescue efforts to locate anyone else trapped under the rubble.
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj criticised the Rekha Gupta-led Delhi government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) regarding the incident. Bharadwaj questioned the effectiveness of safety audits and alleged that various departments, including the Fire Department and the Revenue Department, have been involved in collecting bribes.
Bharadwaj further claimed that the MCD selectively seals buildings whose owners refuse to pay bribes. Authorities are currently inquiring into how the building collapsed and whether there were any operational lapses during the construction, according to The Indian Express.