Two Die After Under Construction Building Collapses in Old Delhi

Two people died and several others remain trapped after a three-storey building under construction collapsed in the Chawri Bazaar area of Old Delhi on Thursday morning.

The incident occurred at approximately 9:50 am in Gali Sitara, located near the Chawri Bazaar Metro station, according to local officials.

At least six fire units, along with water tenders and rescue vehicles, were deployed to the site to assist in the ongoing search for survivors.

The collapse has prompted renewed scrutiny regarding municipal oversight and the prevalence of unauthorized structural development in the national capital.

One local resident, Mohd Nayeem, described the moment the structure fell. "We were asleep when we heard a crashing sound. We all got up and rushed outside," said Nayeem.

Nayeem added, "We thought our own house was collapsing. When we checked, we realised it was the house being built next door."

Rescuers are facing significant logistical challenges due to the historically narrow lanes of Old Delhi, which are often obstructed by parked vehicles.

According to local accounts, the building had been under construction for three to four months and was occupied only by laborers at the time of the collapse.

The Hindu reported that preliminary findings suggest the failure may have been caused by a compromised load-bearing framework on a small fifty-square-yard plot.

Following the collapse, Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned the efficacy of recent safety audits conducted by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

"Rekha Gupta's government and MCD conducted multiple safety audits of all buildings in Delhi, yet buildings keep collapsing. Why?" said Bharadwaj.

The Delhi Fire Services, the National Disaster Response Force, and local police teams are currently coordinating the rescue operation with the help of local residents.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the total number of individuals trapped beneath the debris, and an investigation into the cause of the collapse is expected to follow.