Two killed as three-storey building collapses in Delhi's Chawri Bazaar
Rescue operations are underway in Old Delhi after an under-construction building collapsed, leaving several people feared trapped under debris.
A three-storey building under construction collapsed in Delhi's Chawri Bazaar area on Thursday morning. The incident occurred around 9.50 am in Gali Sitara, near the Chawri Bazaar Metro station, according to reports from Bhaskar English and The New Indian Express.
Two people, identified by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Rohit Rajbir Singh as Kishori, 40, and Sanjeet, 45, were killed. Two others, Sahdev Chaudhary, 25, and Firoz, 37, were injured and are reported to be stable, according to the police.
The Delhi Fire Service reported that approximately 15 people were feared trapped under the debris. A joint rescue operation involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Services (DFS), and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is currently underway.
An MCD official stated that construction work had been halted about 15 days ago and the collapse happened while workers were removing the support system beneath the roof. The official added that the materials used did not meet engineering standards.
The MCD has suspended Assistant Engineer (Building) Mohammed Naeem and Junior Engineer (Building) Aman Dalal with immediate effect for alleged negligence. DCP Singh stated that legal action is being initiated against the building owners and the contractor, adding that the construction was illegal.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj criticised the Rekha Gupta-led Delhi government and the MCD, alleging that buildings continue to collapse despite safety audits. This incident marks the sixth major building collapse in Delhi this year.