‘A Pillar Shifted and the Building Collapsed’: Delhi CM Vows Action After PG Collapse

An old paying-guest building in Delhi’s Satya Niketan collapsed after excavation in its basement shifted a pillar during construction and renovation work, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said.

Gupta visited the site in southwest Delhi as rescue teams searched the debris. She said 11 people had been rescued and that children were inside the building. “Our priority is to save the lives of these children first,” she said, adding that all agencies were working continuously and that the rescue operation would continue.

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The building was old, and some construction and renovation work was underway. Some kind of excavation was being carried out in the basement, due to which a pillar shifted and the entire building collapsed.

The chief minister said she would not spare whoever proved responsible, including the building owner or an official. “Whoever is responsible for this, whether it is the building owner or an official, will not be spared,” Gupta said as she headed to the hospital to assess the condition of those rescued.

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I am going to the hospital. We need to understand the condition of all those who have been rescued. I can say this much: whoever is responsible for this, whether it is the building owner or an official, will not be spared.

Authorities said two people died in the collapse. The AIIMS Trauma Centre said seven people were brought there, while one person was taken to Safdarjung Hospital. Two of those brought to AIIMS were declared dead on arrival.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force and local authorities continued searching the site to determine whether anyone else remained trapped beneath the rubble.

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The building was being used as a PG, and children were inside. All agencies are continuously working. Our priority is to save the lives of these children first.