Delhi Police flagged illegal Chawri Bazar construction to MCD 5 months before fatal collapse

The Delhi Police had alerted the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to alleged unauthorised construction at the three-storey building in Old Delhi's Chawri Bazar nearly five months before it collapsed on Thursday morning, but no action was known to have been taken by the civic body, officials familiar with the matter said.

The building, located at 4547, Gali Sheesh Mahal, collapsed at around 9.50 am in Gali Sitara, near Chawri Bazar Metro station, killing at least two people and leaving several others feared trapped under the debris. The incident also left people injured, with rescue operations launched by multiple agencies.

A senior official familiar with the investigation told Hindustan Times that the police had informed the MCD about the unauthorised construction on June 15 after receiving complaints. "After receiving complaints, we had informed MCD about unauthorised construction at 4547 Gali Sheesh Mahal, Chawri Bazar on June 15 but we are not aware of any action being taken," the official said on condition of anonymity.

The MCD had not responded to HT's request for comment at the time of publication.

MCD suspends two engineers, contractor faces FIR

Hours after the collapse, the MCD suspended assistant engineer Mohd Naeem and junior engineer Aman Dalal on the orders of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The action followed allegations of negligence in connection with the construction.

Gupta also ordered a detailed inquiry into the incident and directed that an FIR be registered against the contractor responsible for the work. The chief minister's office said strict instructions had been issued to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured and immediate ex-gratia assistance to the affected families.

"Stringent action will be taken against those found responsible, in accordance with the law," the CMO said in a post on X.

The chief minister visited the site and said the precise cause of the collapse would be established through the investigation. She confirmed that two bodies had been recovered and one injured person rescued, while describing the structure as a ground-plus-two-storey building.

"The way people often overlook safety and security measures while constructing their homes poses a fatal risk to their own lives," Gupta told reporters. She said all construction work must follow safety protocols and warned that officials found overlooking negligence would not be spared.

Workers were casting third-floor slab when building collapsed

An eyewitness said around eight to 10 labourers were working at the site when the structure gave way. Work was underway on the lintel of the third floor, the witness said, adding that the collapse occurred at around 9.30 am.

"Work was underway on the lintel of the third floor. It collapsed at around 9:30 am, while approximately seven to eight labourers were working at the site," the witness said on condition of anonymity.

Further details reported after the incident indicated that the building was under construction and that no building plan had been sanctioned for the work. Police said a slab was being cast on the third floor when the structure began collapsing. The contractor was reportedly present at the site, and some workers were caught in the collapse as labourers attempted to move away.

An MCD official said construction at the building had been halted around 15 days earlier. The official also suggested that the material used was non-engineered and had not set properly, contributing to the collapse. The exact cause, however, remains subject to investigation.

Rescue teams deployed as neighbouring buildings evacuated

The collapse was reported at 9.50 am, following which multiple units of the Delhi Fire Services, including water tenders and rescue vehicles, were sent to the site. The National Disaster Response Force, Delhi Police, Civil Defence and other agencies were also involved in the rescue and relief operation.

Officials said the narrow lanes of the densely populated market area posed challenges for rescue teams. The identities of the deceased had not been established at the time of initial reports, while the number of people who may have been trapped was still unclear.

Police also said cracks had appeared in neighbouring buildings, prompting authorities to evacuate occupants as a precaution. The investigation is expected to examine the construction work, the alleged violations and the action, or lack of it, following the police alert to the MCD in June.

The Chawri Bazar collapse has renewed concerns over unauthorised construction and enforcement failures in the Capital, with previous building disasters also raising questions about whether complaints and safety violations were acted upon in time.