Two killed, several feared trapped as three-storey building collapses in Delhi's Chawri Bazaar
PTC News Desk: At least two people died and six others are feared trapped after part of a three-storey building under construction collapsed in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk area on Thursday morning.
The incident took place near Chawri Bazaar Metro Station. The Delhi Fire Services received a call from the Paiwalan area at around 9:50 am and sent rescue teams to the spot.
Initially, two water tenders, a water bowser, a Quick Response Vehicle and an Incident Response Team were deployed. At around 10:15 am, Station Officer DK Rai informed the department that several people might be trapped under the rubble and requested more staff and a senior officer.
The department then sent another water tender and Assistant Divisional Officer Rajesh Shukla, taking the total number of units at the site to six. Shukla, Station Officer Bhupender Sharma and Station Officer DK Rai are supervising the rescue operation.
Rescue teams are working to locate and reach anyone still trapped beneath the debris.
Building safety under scrutiny
The collapse has raised fresh concerns about the safety of buildings under construction and older structures in crowded parts of Delhi. Chandni Chowk’s narrow lanes and closely packed buildings can also make emergency operations more difficult.
The cause of the collapse and the condition of the building are not yet known. More information about the victims and those trapped is awaited as rescue work continues.
The incident comes less than two months after a five-storey building used as a paying guest accommodation collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan on September 6. Seven people died and six were injured.
That collapse raised concerns about construction and renovation safety. Investigators examined whether repair work had weakened the building.
After the incident, the Delhi government announced plans to make regular structural checks and safety certificates compulsory for buildings used as hostels, schools and nursing homes.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj criticised the Rekha Gupta-led Delhi government after the building collapse and questioned the effectiveness of safety audits carried out by the authorities.
In a post on X, Bharadwaj said another three-storey building had collapsed in the Chawri Bazaar-Chandni Chowk area, with several people feared trapped under the debris. He asked why buildings continued to collapse despite safety audits by the Delhi government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
“Another 3-storey building collapses at Chawri Bazaar/Chandni Chowk. Many feared trapped under debris. Rekha Gupta’s government and MCD conducted multiple safety audits of all buildings in Delhi, yet buildings keep collapsing. Why?” he wrote.
Bharadwaj also alleged corruption in civic and government departments, claiming that action against buildings was selective and influenced by bribes.
He alleged that the Delhi Police, MCD, Fire Department and Revenue Department were involved in collecting bribes from building owners. He further claimed that the MCD sealed buildings whose owners refused to pay.
The AAP leader also questioned why some commercial properties were sealed while others remained open. He cited the closure of two gyms in Greater Kailash 2, saying other gyms and commercial buildings in the same South Delhi zone continued to operate.
- PTC NEWS
