The Chawri Bazar building collapse in Old Delhi killed two people and injured one on Thursday, after a three-storey under-construction building gave way near Chawri Bazar Metro Station. The incident has also raised questions about why the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) allegedly did not act on information about unauthorised construction that Delhi Police had shared around five months earlier.
The collapse occurred in Gali Sitara at 4547 Gali Sheesh Mahal, close to the metro station. The report said the incident took place at about 9.50 am, while an eyewitness separately estimated that part of the building collapsed at around 9.30 am. Rescue teams began searching the debris after the collapse, but the immediate number of people who may have remained trapped was not known.
According to the report, a senior official familiar with the matter said police complaints had been received about construction at the property. Delhi Police subsequently informed the MCD on 15 June about alleged unauthorised construction at the building. The police, however, did not know whether the civic body had taken any action after receiving the information.
At the time of the collapse, construction work was reportedly under way on the third floor, including the laying of a concrete slab. An eyewitness said around seven to eight workers were present at the site, while another estimate placed the number of workers at between eight and 10. These differing estimates were reported as rescue operations continued.
The incident prompted immediate disciplinary action inside the civic administration. On the direction of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the MCD suspended Assistant Engineer Mohammed Naeem and Junior Engineer Aman Dalal within hours of the collapse. The Chief Minister also ordered a detailed investigation and directed that a first information report be registered against the contractor.
The Chief Minister’s Office said on X that instructions had been issued to provide the injured with the best possible medical treatment and immediate financial assistance to affected families. It also said that people found responsible for the collapse would face strict action under the law.
The case highlights the operational gap between receiving information about unsafe or unauthorised construction and preventing work from continuing. In dense parts of Old Delhi, where buildings, commercial activity and construction work exist in close proximity, enforcement depends on timely inspection, clear responsibility and documented follow-up. The supplied report establishes that police information was sent to the MCD, but does not establish what action, if any, the civic body took before the collapse.
The immediate official response now includes the rescue operation, treatment of the injured, assistance to affected families, the suspension of the two civic officials and the ordered investigation. The next steps will be the findings of the detailed inquiry and the FIR against the contractor, including any determination of responsibility for the construction and the failure to act on the earlier warning.
