Delhi building collapse: CM Rekha Gupta vows action, guilty won't be spared
A building collapse in Delhi's Satya Niketan area on Sunday evening triggered a major rescue operation, with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visiting the site and promising that no one responsible for the incident will be spared. The building, reportedly used as student accommodation, is said to have been undergoing renovation when it collapsed. Rescue teams continued to search through the debris for those still trapped.
"The building was old, and some construction and renovation work was underway. Our priority is to save the lives of these children first. All officials are present here, and there will be no shortage of any kind. However, the guilty will not be spared," Ms. Gupta said, speaking from a temple adjacent to the site. She added that those responsible, whether the building's owner or a government official, would face action.
The incident has drawn reactions from political leaders, with several pointing to the broader issue of student housing in the capital. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, described the collapse as "heartbreaking" and "alarming". He said Congress workers and the National Students' Union of India were at the site to provide assistance. "Due to the lack of good hostels in colleges or universities, students are forced to live in PG accommodations, 40-40 at a time under one roof, in inhumane conditions. Every student's life is precious, and their protection must be ensured under all circumstances," he wrote on X.
Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who leads the Aam Aadmi Party, blamed government negligence for the collapse. "Due to the government's negligence in Delhi, many such accidents have already occurred. The government must wake up from its slumber. There is a need to take large-scale action to ensure the safety of citizens," he posted on X.
Saurabh Bharadwaj, Delhi unit chief of the AAP, noted that a similar incident in Saket occurred a few months ago. "In the name of audits, crores will be looted by various departments that will seal establishments for a few days until money is exchanged. But nothing will change," he said in a video message.
Abhishek Dutt, a former Congress councillor with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, demanded accountability at senior levels. "Not just action against minor junior engineers — senior officials must also be held accountable, and the guilty should be dismissed from their jobs," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and assured assistance. "The collapse of a building at Satya Niketan, Delhi is distressing. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Authorities are working at the site and assisting those affected in the mishap," he said in a statement on X.
The cause of the collapse has not been officially determined, though renovation work was reportedly underway. More details are awaited as rescue operations continue.
