Building Collapse in Chandni Chowk: 3-Storey Structure Crashes, Rescue Ops Underway
A three-storey under-construction building collapsed in Chandni Chowk's Sheesh Mahal area. Fire tenders deployed as rescue operations continue.
Panic gripped the bustling lanes of Old Delhi on Thursday morning after a portion of a three-storey under-construction building collapsed in the Chandni Chowk area. The incident took place in Gali Sattara, Sheesh Mahal, located near the Chawri Bazaar Metro Station, triggering an immediate emergency response from the fire department.
Emergency Response and Rescue Efforts
The fire department received the first alert regarding the building collapse in Chandni Chowk at approximately 9:50 am, falling under the jurisdiction of Paiwalan. The authorities acted swiftly, initially dispatching a fleet consisting of two water tenders, one water bowser, a Quick Response Vehicle (QRV), and an Incident Response Team (IRT).
By 10:15 am, Station Officer DK Rai reported the severity of the situation, confirming that the three-storey structure had collapsed and indicating that several individuals might be trapped beneath the rubble. Recognizing the scale of the disaster, Rai requested additional manpower and the presence of senior officials.
In response, another water tender and Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO) Rajesh Shukla were rushed to the site. The rescue operation is currently being spearheaded by ADO Rajesh Shukla, along with Station Officers Bhupender Sharma and DK Rai, bringing the total number of deployed units to six.
Political Firestorm Erupts Over Safety Audits
While rescue operations continued, the incident sparked a fierce political row. Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj took to social media to launch a scathing attack on the administration, specifically targeting the Rekha Gupta government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
In a post on X, Bharadwaj questioned the efficacy of the safety audits conducted across the city, asking why buildings continue to collapse despite repeated claims of inspections. He alleged that the system is riddled with corruption, claiming that safety audits have become a front for collecting bribes.
"Safety audits have been ordered repeatedly, but instead of real action, multiple departments collected bribes many times, which is why buildings collapse every month," Bharadwaj alleged.
Allegations of Selective Enforcement
The AAP leader further claimed that corruption has spread across various departments. He alleged that while the Delhi Police and MCD were previously involved, the Fire Department and SDMs (Revenue Department) have now joined in collecting bribes. According to Bharadwaj, those who refuse to pay are unfairly targeted and have their properties sealed by the MCD.
To illustrate this "pick-and-choose" enforcement, he cited a recent example where two gyms in the GK2 market were sealed, while other similar commercial buildings in the same south zone remain operational.
As of now, official confirmation regarding the exact number of people trapped or injured in the collapse is awaited.