Six Dead as Old Building Collapses During Basement Work in Delhi's Satya Niketan
Six people were killed and several others sustained injuries after an aging building collapsed in south Delhi's Satya Niketan area on Sunday. The structural failure was allegedly triggered by renovation and repair work being conducted inside the basement of the decades-old property.
Preliminary information indicates that the building was 40 to 50 years old and active repair work was underway at the time of the incident. While workers were carrying out tasks in the basement, a supporting pillar reportedly lost its structural stability. The compromised pillar weakened the overall foundation and load-bearing framework, causing the entire building to give way and collapse completely.
Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force were deployed to the site to clear the debris and search for survivors and casualties. Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa visited the collapse site to inspect the rescue operation, noting that the surrounding structures posed additional challenges to ongoing efforts.
Sirsa explained that an adjacent building, also estimated to be between 40 and 50 years old, has been evacuated due to safety concerns. While authorities plan to demolish the neighbouring structure, the demolition cannot proceed immediately because the building remains precarious, and responders must first assess the condition beneath the accumulated rubble without causing further instability.
Speaking to reporters at the scene, Sirsa stated that the NDRF team was continuously engaged in the delicate operation. He noted that ensuring no damage occurs to the adjacent building while clearing debris and checking for further casualties remained a major task. Sirsa added that the Chief Minister had affirmed strict action would be taken regarding the basement work that triggered the collapse.
Following the incident, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi issued a demolition order for House No. 13 in Satya Niketan under Section 348 read with Section 491 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957. The civic authority declared the premises ruinous and dangerous, noting that it posed an imminent threat to occupants, visitors, passersby, and nearby properties.
The civic body directed the owner or occupier to demolish the structure within three days of receiving the notice. The order warned that if the demolition is not executed within the stipulated timeframe, the corporation will carry out the razing itself and recover the expenses as arrears of property tax.
