Kolkata building collapse: CM Mamata Banerjee assures stern action against illegal construction

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has assured stern action against the perpetrators of illegal construction after an under-construction building in the Garden Reach area of Kolkata collapsed around midnight on Monday.

"This is an illegal construction. I express my condolences to the family. I will urge the administration to take strict action against those involved in the illegal construction," she said after visiting the injured in a hospital.

At least seven people, including two women, were killed and several others injured in the horrific accident, reported PTI.

CM Mamata, who suffered injuries after she fell at her residence on Thursday evening appeared with her bandaged forehead at the building collapse site in Azan Molla Lane in the city's western periphery and assured locals of stern action against illegal construction.

A fire services official, engaged in rescue operations, said the toll is likely to rise as some four people were spotted trapped under the debris but only one of them showing signs of life, 16 hours after the under-construction building collapsed.

"Sad to learn about the house collapse disaster of an under-construction building in the Garden Reach area of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Our Mayor, Fire Minister, Secretaries and Commissioner of Police, civic, police, fire and disaster management officers and teams (including NDRF, KMC and KP teams) have been on site throughout the night for mitigating the disaster," the chief minister wrote on X.

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said the rescue operations were carried out on war footing at the site where the five-storey building was being constructed illegally.

Md Wasim, the promoter of the building, was arrested, and the mayor said stringent action would be taken as per law.

Meanwhile, the government has promised to provide compensation to the next of kin of each deceased and the injured persons. "We stand by the distressed families and rescue operations shall continue," Banerjee said on X.

Hakim, also West Bengal's urban development minister, said, “I spoke to the chief minister and we will provide Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs one lakh to each injured person.”

According to locals, concrete chunks fell from the building before it collapsed.
The debris fell with a loud sound on nearby shanties in the densely populated area, engulfing it in a thick cloud of dust, the locals who were the first responders said.

"Although no one lived in the under-construction building, it collapsed on the adjacent shanties. We fear that many individuals might still be trapped under the rubble," a resident was quoted as saying by PTI.

(with PTI inputs)