Three Contractors Arrested After Deadly Delhi Building Collapse Tragedy

Three contractors are in custody following a tragic building collapse in Old Delhi's Chawri Bazar that left two people dead. Rescue operations remain ongoing, with authorities investigating unauthorized construction as a potential cause.

Three Contractors Arrested After Building Collapse

Three contractors have been arrested in connection with the collapse of an under-construction building in Delhi's Chawri Bazar area, which claimed two lives, as rescue operations continued on Friday to locate people feared trapped beneath the debris, Delhi Police said. The arrested contractors have been identified as Siraj, Tajuddin and Furkan, all residents of Village Sirohi, Tehsil Dauj, in Haryana's Faridabad district. They have been arrested in connection with a case registered under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in relation to the incident, police said.

The three-storey under-construction building collapsed at Gali Sheesh Mahal, Gali Shehatara, near Ajmeri Gate, in Old Delhi's Chawri Bazar area at around 10:30 am on Thursday. Two people were killed and five others sustained injuries in the incident. The deceased have been identified as Kishori, aged 40, and Sanjeet, aged 45.

Rescue Operations and Cause of Incident

Earlier on Thursday, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Manoj Kumar said that five people were suspected to be trapped in the basement of the collapsed building, while four people had been rescued. He said that around 30 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) were engaged in the rescue operation.

Suspected Causes and Challenges

Explaining the suspected cause of the collapse, Kumar said that a four-storey structure had been built on a small plot and that the temporary supports may have been removed before the concrete and debris had dried. "A four-storey structure had been built on a small plot. It appears that the centring (temporary support) was removed while the debris/concrete was still wet, which led to the collapse. The wet debris has now set and is trapped in the basement...It is suspected that 5 people are trapped. Currently, 30 personnel from the NDRF and MCD are engaged in the operation. Four people have been rescued," he said.

According to the details of the incident, unauthorised construction on the second and third floors is suspected to have given way, bringing down the entire structure. The narrow and densely populated locality has posed significant challenges for rescue teams. The building is situated at the end of a dead-end lane barely three feet wide, making it inaccessible to motorised vehicles, rescue trucks and heavy earthmoving machinery. As a result, rescuers, medical personnel and more than 30 MCD zonal labourers had to reach the site on foot. Debris was primarily cleared manually, with teams also deploying compact equipment to facilitate the rescue operation.

Administrative Response

Rescue teams and civic authorities rushed to the spot following the collapse and deployed floodlights to facilitate search and rescue operations. Efforts continued through the night as authorities searched for people feared trapped beneath the debris.

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta ordered the immediate suspension of the area's Assistant Engineer (AE) and Junior Engineer (JE) following the incident. She also directed that an FIR be registered against the contractor. Morning visuals from the spot showed rescue and other operations continuing at the site of the collapsed building. Police had earlier said that a case under Section 105 of the BNS was being registered against the building owners and contractors. Further investigation is underway.

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