Man killed in building collapse in Sadar Bazar; DMRC announces ₹5 lakh for kin

DMRC: The building was classified as unsafe, evacuated last month before tunnelling work started in the vicinity of the building on the metro’s Janakpuri West-RK Ashram Marg corridor

New Delhi: A 45-year-old man was killed after a two-storey building collapsed at Mithaipul near Azad Market in the Sadar Bazar area of north Delhi on Friday, police said.

A DMRC official said that the area has been barricaded and work is ongoing. (HT Photo/ K Raj)

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said the building was classified as unsafe and evacuated last month before tunnelling work started in the vicinity of the building on the metro’s Janakpuri West-RK Ashram Marg corridor.

Three shops were located on the ground floor, and the first floor used as a godown.used to stock running bags and canvas fabric.

Delhi Fire Services (DFS) chief Atul Garg said that the fire control room received a call regarding a building collapse around 2am on Friday.

“Three fire tenders were rushed to the incident spot. One injured man was taken out from the debris during the rescue operation. He was rushed to Bara Hindu Rao Hospital, where he was declared brought dead,” Garg added.

Deputy commissioner of police (North) Raja Banthia said the debris removal and rescue operation was carried out by multiple agencies. “One injured person was removed from the debris and he was declared dead at the hospital. He was identified as Manoj Sharma, 45, who was employed at shop number 7A owned by one Gulshan Mahajan,” said DCP Banthia.

A truck parked outside the building was also damaged in the incident.

The fire department did not comment on what led to the collapse. But the DMRC statement said the building fell within “the influence zone of ongoing tunneling works for the Janakpuri West–RK Ashram Marg corridor”.

“The building/shops had already been identified as unsafe prior to the commencement of tunneling work in the area and had been evacuated by DMRC. An ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh has been announced for the dead man’s family,” the DMRC statement said.

DMRC also announced ₹5 lakh assistance for the deceased’s family.

“It was clearly communicated that these structures were in an extremely dilapidated condition and therefore, as a precautionary measure, the evacuation of the structures was necessary. Accordingly, the buildings were subsequently evacuated. Additionally, necessary subsoil grouting and external supports were provided at the site to stabilise the structures and mitigate any risk due to tunnelling,” the DMRC’s statement said.

“Tunnel work is being executed by M/s AFCONS. A thorough investigation shall be carried out by DMRC regarding this incident,” the DMRC’s statement said.

A DMRC official said that the area has been barricaded and work is ongoing.

A case was registered under Sections 106(1) (death by negligence) and 290 (negligent conduct with respect to pulling down, repairing or constructing buildings, etc.) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Bara Hindu Rao police station.