Chandni Chowk Tragedy: 2 Dead as 3-Storey Building Collapses
Two people died after a three-storey under-construction building collapsed in Delhi's Chandni Chowk. AAP leader alleges corruption in safety audits.
Tragedy struck the heart of Old Delhi on Thursday morning when a three-storey under-construction building collapsed in the Chandni Chowk area, leaving two people dead. The incident occurred in Gali Sattara, Sheesh Mahal, situated near the Chawri Bazaar Metro Station, sparking a frantic rescue operation and fueling political tensions over urban safety.
The Moment of Collapse
The disaster unfolded around 9:50 am, according to the fire department, though local witnesses suggest the crash may have happened slightly earlier. Residents of the densely populated lane were jolted awake by a thunderous sound that many initially mistook for their own homes collapsing.
Mohd Nayeem, an eye-witness to the event, recounted the chaos: "We were asleep when we heard a crashing sound. We all got up and rushed outside. We thought our own house was collapsing. When we checked, we realized it was the house being built next door."
Reports indicate that the building had been under construction for the past three to four months. According to Nayeem, several cast lintels collapsed simultaneously, trapping workers beneath the rubble. One of the injured laborers mentioned that three to four people were present at the site during the collapse.
Rescue Operation and Emergency Response
The Delhi Police and fire services launched a rapid response after the alert was raised. Initially, five units—including two water tenders, a water bowser, a Quick Response Vehicle (QRV), and an Incident Response Team (IRT)—were dispatched to the Paiwalan jurisdiction.
As the scale of the disaster became clear, an additional water tender and Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO) Rajesh Shukla were deployed, bringing the total to six units. Station Officer DK Rai informed the department at approximately 10:15 am that a three-storey structure had fallen and feared that multiple individuals remained trapped under the debris.
The rescue operation was overseen by ADO Rajesh Shukla, Station Officer Bhupender Sharma, and SO DK Rai.
Political Firestorm Erupts Over Safety Audits
The collapse has triggered a sharp political reaction, with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj launching a scathing attack on the administration. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Bharadwaj questioned the efficacy of building safety audits conducted by the MCD and the government.
Bharadwaj raised concerns over why buildings continue to collapse despite repeated safety audits. He leveled serious allegations of corruption, claiming that various government departments, including the Fire Department and SDMs (Revenue Department), are 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.
The AAP leader further claimed that the enforcement of laws is selective, alleging that those who refuse to pay bribes face the sealing of their properties by the MCD, while others are allowed to operate illegally. He cited the sealing of two gyms in the GK2 market as an example of this "pick-and-choose" enforcement.