Two killed as under-construction building collapses in Delhi’s Chawri Bazaar

Two people died and one person was rescued after a three-storey under-construction building collapsed near Chawri Bazaar Metro Station in Old Delhi on Thursday. Rescue operations are underway amid fears that several people remain trapped under the debris.

New Delhi: At least two people have died, while another injured person was rescued from the rubble after a three-storey under-construction building collapsed in Old Delhi’s Chawri Bazaar on Thursday, officials said.

Several people are still feared trapped, according to rescue officials.

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The information about the collapse was received at 9:50 a.m. from Gali Sitara, near Chawri Bazaar Metro Station, they said.

Subsequently, six fire units, including a water tender and other rescue vehicles, were rushed to the incident site.

Rescue operations are currently underway, and further details are awaited.

The incident comes amid a festive rush in one of the busiest markets in the national capital.

This comes two months after the tragic building collapse in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, which claimed seven lives.

The collapse occurred on the afternoon of September 6. Due to the weekend and concurrent rainfall, students were inside the building at the time of the collapse.

Following the tragedy, the Supreme Court had directed authorities across the country to file affidavits on the steps taken to comply with its earlier directions on unauthorised constructions.

The incident had also prompted the Delhi government to initiate action against MCD officials, with five officials suspended and directions issued for a drive against buildings having unauthorised fifth floors.

A series of other tragic building collapses in the national capital in the past few months.

A portion of a multi-storied building collapsed in north Delhi’s Seemapuri area on October 7. Four people were killed in the incident.

On October 25, an under-construction structure (ground-plus-two floors) in Milan Garden, Harsh Vihar in Northeast Delhi collapsed after an illegal attempt to add an extra lintel/floor caused the lower slab to cave in.

A 60-year-old father, Chanderpal, and his 33-year-old son, Vijay Kumar, lost their lives.