Delhi: Residential Building Collapses in New Seemapuri
A residential building collapsed near Idgah Machhli Mandi in New Seemapuri. No casualties reported, but residents gather at the site.
A residential building collapsed near Idgah Machhli Mandi in New Seemapuri on Wednesday, marking the second such structural failure in the capital within a month. While the incident has caused significant alarm among local residents, no casualties have been reported from the site so far.
Crowds Gather at Site
Following the sudden collapse, a large crowd of local residents gathered around the wreckage to witness the aftermath. While the debris has disrupted the immediate area, emergency details and the extent of the structural damage are still being assessed by authorities.
Echoes of Satya Niketan Tragedy
This incident comes just one month after a devastating building collapse in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area on September 6. That tragedy resulted in the loss of seven lives and highlighted the dangerous risks associated with unauthorized structural modifications.
In the Satya Niketan case, police investigations revealed a pattern of negligence regarding renovation work:
- Structural Changes: Renovation work was reportedly carried out roughly 10 days before the collapse, allegedly under the instructions of an individual named Mahesh Gupta.
- Basement Loading: The renovation involved levelling the basement with the ground floor, which involved filling the basement with approximately three truckloads of construction debris.
- Illegal Modifications: On the day of the collapse, a wall on the ground floor was allegedly removed to create extra space for a shop, further compromising the building's stability.
Previous Arrests in Satya Niketan Case
The investigation into the previous tragedy led to several arrests. Police apprehended labour contractor Sanoj Kumar from Kasganj, Uttar Pradesh, who was allegedly managing the renovation work for a daily wage of Rs 2,800. Additionally, the PG operator, Shudhanshu Lovneesh, was arrested in connection with the building being used as a PG accommodation during the incident.