Chawri Bazar Collapse: Delhi’s Cycle Of Building Tragedies Continues

Two people died and several others were feared trapped after an under-construction building collapsed in Old Delhi’s Chawri Bazar on Thursday morning. As rescue teams searched the debris, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta ordered an inquiry, the suspension of the area’s junior and assistant engineers, and an FIR against the contractor.

The building in Gali Sitara, near Chawri Bazar Metro station, collapsed around 9.50am. Central district DCP Rohit Rajbir Singh said three people had been rescued. Two were declared dead at hospital, while the third was injured but out of danger.

“The building reportedly collapsed while the concrete slab was being laid,” Singh said, according to PTI. He said residents of neighbouring buildings had been evacuated and the adjacent structure was in a “precarious condition” after debris shifted towards it.

Gupta also directed officials to arrange the best possible treatment for the injured and provide immediate ex-gratia assistance to affected families. The inquiry will examine what caused the collapse and whether construction or safety rules were breached.

Satya Niketan Collapse

A five-storey building used as a paying guest accommodation for students collapsed in Satya Niketan on September 6, killing at least seven people and injuring others. Police said repair and structural modification work was under way. Their status report to the Delhi High Court said the building owners had not obtained land-use permission for commercial use or sought advice from a qualified structural engineer or architect. Police also said the contractor had engaged two unqualified labourers for the work. The exact structural cause remained under investigation.

The High Court asked the MCD to conduct an inquiry at the highest executive level and inspect paying guest accommodations under its jurisdiction. It said the collapse could have been avoided if authorities had discharged their statutory duties. The police report said 12 people were rescued from the debris; seven, including five students and two labourers, were declared dead.

Saidulajab: Civic Body Had Been Alerted Before The Collapse

Six people died when a building in Saidulajab collapsed on May 30, burying a canteen and damaging a neighbouring coaching institute. Two additional floors were under construction. The magisterial inquiry found that the MCD had failed to monitor and act against illegal construction, despite receiving complaints. It concluded that the collapse was preventable and said the unauthorised additions and weak enforcement were central factors.

Police had also written to the MCD in March about construction that allegedly exceeded the permitted height, according to The Indian Express. The inquiry report said the civic body acted against the unauthorised floors only days before the collapse. It also alleged that officials created inspection and stop-work records retrospectively to conceal inaction. The report recommended structural safety audits, stricter inspections and accountability across supervisory levels.

Seemapuri: Adjoining Demolition Work Under Investigation

A four- to five-storey residential building in New Seemapuri collapsed on October 7, killing four people and injuring eight. At least 11 people were trapped. The building stood on a small plot, and three adjoining structures were damaged and later declared unsafe.

Authorities are examining whether demolition work at a neighbouring unauthorised site triggered the collapse through vibrations. Investigators are also looking at the building’s foundation and additional floors. Delhi Police had alerted the MCD in March to check whether construction, including an added fifth floor, complied with the sanctioned plan. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered to establish the cause and examine possible lapses by property owners and government agencies.

Fires Exposed Related Safety And Rescue Gaps

Building safety failures have also figured in inquiries into deadly fires. A June 3 fire at an illegally expanded bed-and-breakfast in Hauz Rani killed 23 people. The magisterial inquiry found that the establishment continued operating despite warnings and flagged lapses involving the MCD, Delhi Police, the tourism department and BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd.

A fire in Vivek Vihar on May 3 killed nine people. The inquiry found that flats had been sold without occupancy certificates and that structural changes breached sanctioned plans. In Palam, a March 18 fire also killed nine people; the inquiry found that overhead cables obstructed the fire service’s aerial platform and flagged the absence of backup high-reach equipment.

The Chawri Bazar investigation is at an early stage. In previous cases, inquiries documented unauthorised construction, safety lapses and warnings that did not lead to timely intervention. The new probe will establish whether similar failures contributed to Thursday’s collapse.