India
Contractors Ignored Workers’ Safety Concerns in Chawri Bazar Building Collapse, FIR Reveals
A first information report (FIR) filed after the collapse of a building in Old Delhi’s Chawri Bazar on Thursday alleges that contractors ignored warnings from workers about the structure’s weak construction. The incident, which killed at least two people, occurred at a ground‑plus‑three‑floor building in Gali Sitara near the Chawri Bazar Metro station. The collapse happened in two stages around 9.30 am, when the lintel of the third floor gave way during concrete work, followed by the failure of the remaining floors within 15 to 20 minutes.
FIR complainant Firoz, a 37‑year‑old construction worker from Bihar who survived the collapse, said in his statement that he and other workers had repeatedly warned contractors that the lintel had not dried and that the existing slab could not support another concrete slab. He claimed that additional cement and wood were required to provide adequate support, but the contractors insisted that work continue, arguing that changes would increase costs. Firoz also said that the owners were informed but the contractors were the ones to be consulted.
The FIR names Tajuddin and Furkan as accused and cites sections 105, 290, 125(a) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Delhi Police arrested three contractors—Siraj, Tajuddin and Furkan—on Friday. The men were taken from Sirohi village in Faridabad’s Dauj tehsil and are residents of the Ajmeri Gate area.
The building, covering about 70 square yards, had no sanctioned plan. Delhi Police had alerted the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) about construction activity at the site nearly five months before the collapse. A letter from the Hauz Qazi police station on 15 June had informed the MCD’s City SP Zone about new residential construction at property number 4547‑48 in Wali Sheesh Mahal, Ajmeri Gate. The MCD’s inquiry report alleged that the owner used a repair advisory as a cover to undertake new construction on the second and third floors without permission, and that the property’s tax declarations were falsified to conceal excess floor coverage.
The rescue operation was hampered by the narrow lanes of the walled city, preventing heavy machinery from reaching the site. Fire personnel and other teams relied largely on manual debris removal. Residents of neighbouring buildings were evacuated after police warned that one adjoining structure was in a precarious condition.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta ordered the suspension of the junior engineer and assistant engineer involved, a detailed inquiry, and an FIR against the contractor. She also directed officials to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured and to provide ex‑gratia assistance to the victims’ families. Police continue to investigate the construction activity and the circumstances leading to the collapse.