New Delhi: Two individuals lost their lives and seven sustained injuries when a five-story building under construction crumbled in Kolkata’s Garden Reach locality, news agency PTI reported quoting city’s mayor, Firhad Hakim, as saying Monday. Mayor Hakim expressed concern that additional individuals might be trapped beneath the debris. Rescue operations are actively proceeding at the collapse site situated on Azan Molla Lane, on the outskirts of the city.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her sorrow over the collapse of the under-construction structure in the Garden Reach area, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. “It’s disheartening to hear about the collapse. Our Mayor, along with the Fire Minister, Secretaries, and the Police Commissioner, as well as teams from civic bodies, police, fire services, and disaster management—including NDRF, KMC, and KP—have been working tirelessly through the night to manage the situation,” she posted on X.


The Chief Minister announced that the government will provide financial aid to the families of the deceased and the injured.


“We are in full support of the families affected, and the rescue operations will persist,” Banerjee stated on the social media platform. “In a tragic event, a five-story building under construction gave way around midnight. The incident resulted in two fatalities and injuries to at least seven individuals,” Hakim disclosed.



An official reported that a minimum of 10 individuals were saved from the disaster site. Hakim, who also serves as the Urban Development Minister of West Bengal, noted that there are still several people trapped under the debris, and rescue efforts are being made to save them. The injured have been transported to a medical facility, he added.


“I’ve communicated with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and we’ve decided to grant Rs five lakh to the family of each person who passed away and Rs one lakh to each injured individual,” Hakim mentioned.


Vineet Goyal, the Police Commissioner of Kolkata, made an appearance at the site to evaluate the ongoing rescue operations.


“A building that was still under construction toppled over in the Garden Reach area late Sunday night. We’ve managed to rescue a number of people, and the rescue operation is ongoing,” a police representative reported.


Locals, who were among the first to respond, observed that fragments of concrete were shedding from the building before its downfall.


The collapse was marked by a thunderous noise and a massive dust cloud that blanketed the area. The debris spread over the adjacent shanties in the heavily populated region, the locals recounted.


“Even though the under-construction building was unoccupied, its collapse affected the nearby shanties. There’s a fear that a considerable number of people may still be underneath the debris,” a local inhabitant remarked.


In a social media post, Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, made an urgent plea: “I call on @chief_west, Secretary @HomeBengal, @CPKolkata to immediately call upon the West Bengal State Disaster Management Team for swift rescue and relief efforts.”


Adhikari expressed his concern over potential victims, stating, “I’m receiving urgent calls about likely casualties. I urge for the prompt deployment of any capable rescue teams, whether it be Fire Service members, the Police, or any other group.”