Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta distributed ex-gratia compensation cheques on Wednesday to families affected by a building collapse in Satya Niketan, a fire in Tughlakabad, a drowning incident in Jasola and the death of a COVID-19 warrior, according to the Chief Minister’s Office.
The assistance included ₹10 lakh each for the families of four people who died in the Satya Niketan building collapse last month. The collapse of a five-storey building in the area on September 6 killed seven people, according to background details carried in the report, while the compensation announced during the latest distribution was specified for four families.
The Satya Niketan incident had raised concerns about the safety of accommodation used by students in the capital. The area has a significant demand for affordable housing and paying guest facilities, and the collapse brought renewed attention to the condition of buildings being used for residential purposes.
Families affected by the Tughlakabad fire were given ₹10 lakh each for every death. The fire killed three members of a family, while two other people were critically injured, according to earlier details cited in the report. The Government distributed ₹2 lakh to injured people and ₹20,000 each to two people who sustained minor injuries.
A family affected by the drowning death in a drain in Jasola received an ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakh. The compensation covered a separate incident from the building collapse and fire, bringing together several recent cases in which residents lost their lives or suffered injuries in hazardous urban conditions.
The compensation was also extended to the family of a COVID-19 warrior who died during the pandemic. The report did not specify the amount provided to that family.
Ms. Gupta said the loss of a loved one could not be repaired through financial assistance, but added that it was the Government’s responsibility to support affected families. “The ex-gratia assistance aims to offer financial relief during this difficult time and reassure the families that they are not alone, and that the Delhi Government stands with them at every step,” she said, according to the Chief Minister’s Office.
The distribution places financial relief alongside the unresolved safety questions associated with the incidents. The Satya Niketan collapse involved a building used for accommodation, while the Tughlakabad fire and Jasola drowning reflected separate risks faced by residents in dense urban neighbourhoods. The material available in the report does not specify any new safety inspections, enforcement action or rehabilitation measures announced alongside the compensation.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Chief Minister also distributed cheques of ₹1 lakh and Karwa Chauth kits to 51 newlywed women who had participated in a mass wedding organised by the Ladli Foundation in March. The Government said the initiative was intended to support women and their families after marriage.
